A Sermon of Christ Crucified

First for the ground and argument of my Sermon, I shall desire you (Christian audience) to give ear unto a few words which I will recite to you out of S. Paul written unto the Corinthians. 2. Corinth. 5. The words be these: Pro Christo ita{que} legatione fungimur. &c.

IN this parcel of Scripture here is brought unto you (Christiā audience) an high message from an high and mighty prince, of an high matter, and of weighty importance. Concerning the which message three things I have principally to notify unto you, by order of the letter as it lieth▪

• 1. FIrst beginning with him who is the sender of this message.
• 2. Secondly, to speak of them, which be the messengers.
• 3. Thirdly, to show, what is the message it self here sent unto us.

As touching the first, S. Paul, to prepare and stir up the minds of the Corinthians to more attention, expresseth first the person and author of this message, in whose name he cometh, saying: In the name of Christ we come as Ambassadors &c. In the name (saith he) of Christ. Wherein we see the words of Christ our Savior rightly accomplished: wherein he prophesying before of this his Apostle and messenger, speaketh to Ananias in this wise, saying: Vade, quoniam vas est mihi electionis, &c. Go to him, for he is an elect vessel to me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings, and before the children of Israel. Acts. 9.

In like manner the other Apostles also whensoever they come, either showing whose servants they be, or to teach any doctrine, or to work miracles, ever they bear the name of Christ before them. With him they begin, and with him they end. Now, if messengers or ambassadors which come from earthly princes and potestates in this world, are commonly esteemed and reputed according to the estate of them which send them, and especially if the matter bring with it any face of temporal commodity, men are wont right gladly to receive thē. How much more then ought we to be moved with this heavenly and most joyful legation directed unto us, not from any terrene Prince or Lord, but frō the King of Kings, and Prince of all Princes, especially touching such à benefit here sent and offered unto us by him, of such special & singular effect, that without it no earthly thing in all y ^e world can make us happy, and having it nothing can make us miserable.

Let me tell you à story, which I remember was done about y ^e beginning of Queen Mary's reign, an. 1554. There was à certain message sent, not from heaven, but from Rome: not from God, but frō the Pope: not by any Apostle, but by à certain Cardinal, who was called Cardinal Poole, Legatus a latere, Legatus natus, à Legate frō the Popes own white side, send hither into England.

This Cardinal Legate first coming to Dover, was honorably received & brought to Grenewich: where he again being more honorably received by Lord's of high estate, and of the privy Counsel (of whom some are yet alive) was conducted frō thence to y ^e privy stairs of the Queens Court at Westminster, no less person then King Philip him self waiting upon him and receiving him, and so was brought to the Queens great chamber, she then being, or else pretending, not to be well at ease. Stephen Gardener the Bishop of Winchester, & Lord Chancelor of England, receiving this noble Legate in the King and the Queens behalf, to commend and set forth the authority of this Legate, the greatness of his message, & the supreme majesty of the sender, before the public audience of the whole Parliament at that time assembled, there •• enly protested with great solemnity of word 〈◊〉 what à mighty message & of what great importance was then brought into the Realm, even the greatest message (said he) that ever came into England: and therefore desired them to give attentive & inclinable ears to such à famous legation, sent from so high authority.

Well, and what message was this? Forsooth, that the Realm of England should be reconciled again unto their father the Pope: that is to say, that the Queen with all her nobility and sage Counsel, with so many learned Prelates, discrete Lawyers, worthy commons, and y ^t whole body of the Realm of England, should captive thē selves, and become underlings to an Italian stranger, and frierly Priest sitting in Rome, which never knew England, never was here, never did or shall do England good. And this forsooth (said Gardener ) was the greatest ambassage, the weightiest Legacy that ever came to England: forgetting belike either this message of God sent here by his Apostles unto us: or else because he saw it made not so much for his purpose as did y ^e other, he made the less accompt thereof.

Well then, & will we see what à weighty message this was that Gardener so exquisitely commendeth? First, the sender is gone, the messenger is gone, the Queen is gone, and the message gone, and yet England standeth not à rushe the better. Of which message I thus say, answering again to Gardener, per inuersionē rhetoricam, that as he saith, it was the greatest, so I say again, it was the lightest legacy, the most ridiculous trifle, and most miserablest message, of all other y ^t ever came, or ever shall come to England, none excepted, for us to be reconciled to an outlandish priest, & to submit our necks under à foreign yoke. What have we to do more with him, then with y ^e great Calypha of Damascus. If reconciliation ought to follow, where offenses have risen: the Pope hath offended us more then his cofers are able to make us amends. We never offended him. But let the Pope with his reconciliation and Legates go, as they are already gone (God be thanked) and I beseech God so they may be gone, that they never come here again. England never fared better then when y ^e Pope did most curse it. And yet I hear whispering of certain privy reconcilers, sent of late by y ^e Pope, which secretly creep in corners. But this I leave to thē that have to do withal. Let us again return to our matter.

We then having this Legation sent to us, not frō the Pope, but evē from our Lord & God: not by any Cardinal of Rome, but by the elect vessel of Christ, the Apostle S. Paul and other Apostles: let us attend with reverence, first to him that sendeth, then to the messengers y ^t be sent unto us, remembering how Raab the harlot received y ^e messengers of Moses and was preserved: remembering also the words of our Savior: He that heareth you, heareth me: and he that despiseth you, despiseth me. &c.

Wherefore, considering with our selves (good Christian audience) the high majesty of this our supreme prince the sender of this message, being not only our head & king anointed, but which also of love gave his life and blood as this day to be spent for our redemption: let us for our partes, if we be his subjects, mark what our prince requireth: let the flock hear what the Pastor teacheth: the body what y ^e head speaketh: the spousesse, what the spouse sendeth. And thus much touching the sender of the message.

Now what these messengers be, and who they are: the Apostle proceeding further in the letter, thus inferreth: We (saith he) be sent as messengers. &c. speaking not of himself alone, nor of Peter alone, nor of any Apostle one more then another, but jointly joining thē all in one office & calling together, without difference of degree or singularity of person, he saith: We be sent as messengers or Apostles: For so signifieth y ^e name of Apostolus, as much to mean as à messenger or à Legate sent. Where is to be noted by the way, y ^t this nominative [Nos] in the pluratiue mumber is not here to be expounded after y ^e style of Rome: For Stylus Romanae Curiae, or rather 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Romanae Curiae, the swelling style of the court of Rome, useth commonly when any Mandate, Breefe, or Sentence is given, thus to say: Nos Wilhelmus pro tribunali seed̄tes. &c. Nos Edmundus, Roberto Cluney literato. &c.

So y ^e Bishop of Rome directing forth his precepts or Bulls, never speaketh in other mumber, but Mandamus, Statuimus, Ordinamus, & Volumus. And although he be but one singular person that speaketh, and such as will needs be singular alone above all others: yet disdaineth he to speak in the singular mumber, but always useth the plural, to express belike, his Regale sacerdotiū. Who because he feeth great Kings & Emperors frequent this trope of writing and speaking, least he should seem in any point inferior to them, or not to speak as big as they for their lives, useth therefore the same regal or imperial phrase of speech, with his Mandamus, & volumus. &c. when as Christ in the Gospel is content to say: Mandatum nouum do vobis: not damus vobis. &c. But if the Pope will not follow the humility of Christ in the Gospel, let him beware he follow not the swelling Tode in Aesopes Fables: who seeing the great Ox, and disdaining, that y ^e Ox should be bigger then he, swelled him self so big, that at length he swelled himself out of his own skin. But let the Popes courtly style pass, which as it is à thing but puffed up with the wind of pride, so let it vanishe away with the wind also.

This is certain, that S. Paul in these words, We come as messengers. &c. meaneth no such matter: to signify either him self alone, or Peter alone, or any other of the Apostles singularly: but jointly comprehendeth the whole fellowship of the blessed Apostles together, and declareth, that they all together joined in one commission, are sent in the behalf and name of Christ, as Legates or messengers, and not only to these Corinthians, to whom here he writeth, but inclusitiuely to all other wheresoever either collected or dispersed in the whole world, according as it was enjoined them by the Lord's own special commission, saying: Go into the whole world, and preach this Gospel or glad message to every creature. Whosoever believeth and is baptized, shall be saved.

Well, and what shall we then say? Did this message of the Apostles cease with the end of the Apostles? or did the preaching thereof extend no farther, but during the continuance of their time? Yes verily: for he which then set them on work, and sent thē in this message, putting in their mouth the word of reconcilement, is the same Lord which liveth still, and ceaseth not to send messengers into his Church frō time to time: Some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some teachers and instructors, some with one gift, some with another, and all for the edifying of his people, to have the message of his Gospel continued in the world, which still shall be continued, so long as his Church shall endure: for he cannot, nor will not totally & finally forsake his Church, which is his kingdom.

But as it then happened in the Apostles time, there crept in with them certain Pseudolegati, false Apostles, & sinister teachers, which confoūding together the law with the Gospel: Moses with Christ: man's merits with mercy: confidence in works with God's free grace and promises, labored to pervert the course of this blessed message sent to us by the mouth of the Apostles: so hath there not lacked since that time in the Church, some Pseudocatholici and false teachers, not sent of God to do his message, but creping in craftily to lead à loytring life, some impudent, some negligent, some ignorant and blind, having a zeal of God, but not after knowledge, as S. Paul saith, some preaching them selves, some preaching for benefices and promotions, some teaching before they have learned, some speaking that they know not, nor having experience whereof they speak, some also plain enemies to the cross of Christ, and subuerters of his heavenly message: of which sort we have had heretofore to much experience of late years when the Pope had the leading of this Church of England.

But blessed be the God of all consolation, & father of our Lord Jesus, who hath visited us frō an high with such mercy and grace, and hath raised up such ministers and messengers of his holy grace and Gospel to his Church, which so constantly accord and tune in one string together, to set forth the lively message and truth of Christ's Gospel unto you. Which you daily do hear. Which as it doth me good to see, so do I most heartily rejoice from the bottom of my heart and soul, and praise God with my hearty thanks therefore. And yet nevertheless, to speak the simple truth touching the present state of this our ministry, if I should say y ^t nothing therein were à miss, I should in deed blaunch and flatter to much. For who seeth not that many this day enter into y ^e ministry, not as God's messengers sent upon any message frō him, but winding in them selves by hook or crook, or by some compound way, parting half stakes as it were between their patrons & them, and having either no art to find thē, or no mind to labor, make à trade of living of the ministry, more to live at ease, then to labor in God's message.

Many other abuses might be here recited, but I am not at this time to complain of any: but only to preach Christ Jesus crucified unto you. And if there be anything in them further to be complained of, I leave it either to the ministers thenselves, or to their patrons that receive them, or to their Bishops which induct them, to look upon it. But to our purpose: they that will be the true messengers of God, let them well consider what their office is, whose messengers they are, and do their message faithfully.

The office of ministers was wont in the time of barbarous Popery, to be counted Orare, Predicare, Sacrificare, to pray, to preach, and to sacrifice. But they which allotted those offices to the ministry, thought be like to bring in the Aaronicall, or Levitical priesthood again, with their praying for the sins of y ^e people, & offering continual sacrifice for the same. As for prayer which they call [Orare] I take that office as common to all Christian men, & not only appropriate to the ministry, to pray I mean for sins. And as touching [Sacrificare] if they mean thereby to sacrifice Christ's body for sin: that office only appertaineth to Christ, and to none other. But we which are entered now into the New Testament, and are past from shadows to the body, from legal significations, to spirit and truth, following the direction of Christ's commission in his Gospel, do say with S. Paul, that the principal office of the ministers of the new Testament is, laborare in verbo & doctrina, that is, by word and doctrine to do God's message, and to preach to the people, sermonem quem posuit in illis, vel quem proposuit illis Deus, the word which God hath put in their mouths, or which he hath left unto them by his Apostles. Although beside this, diverse other duties are incidēt to the order of ministers, as to minister y ^e Sacraments, to pray, to offer thanksgiving, to reprove, to comfort, to lay on hands, to excommunicate. &c. yet the principal end which chiefly concerneth the ministers of the New Testament, is, by preaching repentance and the glad message of the Gospel, to bring all mē to the obedience of Christ's faith, for remission of sins.

And thus much concerning the function of ministers, whose office is (as you have heard) to be messengers or Ambassadors of Christ, in dispensing the mysteries of his word. Now, touching the message that is sent by them unto us, let us consider what followeth by the text. The words be these:

Here now cometh in the joyful message and glad tidings of the Gospel, which S. Paul calleth Sermonem reconciliations, the word of recōcilement. Wherein is to be explained unto you in order and distinctly, first what this reconcilement is, between whō it is, by whō it cometh, with all such things as well going before, as which follow after it. But first, for so much as the preaching of reconciliation importeth à variance or division between God and us going before: let us something entreat of the same, & put you in remembrance of that miserable thralldom wherewith we were once oppressed, lying under the grievous wrath of God (which in my mind is much needful of all Christian mē thoroughly to be considered) and compare y ^e same to y ^e state which we are now called unto. For else how shall we rejoice at God's grace, if we feel not before his judgment? or what thanks can they give for the gift, which never understand what lack they had? what passeth he for heavē, which feeleth no hell? or who careth for the Physician, but he that is sick?

And though I know there be à good sort of godly mourning souls in Zion, which lie groaning under the fear of God's heavy indignatiō, and need rather with boldness to be refreshed, then with more fear to be dejected: yet notwithstanding for so much as the greater sort commonly have their cogitations otherwise occupied, some not touched with any sorrow, some not examining their consciences nor feeling their wound, some not tasting any hell, some not caring for any God, to help therefore such senseless souls, and to rouse them à little out of their careless sleep of security, let us enter into some consideration of our damnable and cursed state, wherein all we once did & yet do stand by nature, all such (I say) as are not yet reconciled in Christ. For what cā be more grievous and horrible then the creature to be sundered and parted from the grace and good will of his creator & maker? to lack his protection? to sustain his wrath? to be outlawed from our own country of Paradise, where we were first created? to be cut from him, without whom nothing can do us good, & we good for nothing? For if all goodness be in him, what cā be without him but that is evil? If life leave us, what remaineth but death? If God forsake us, what receiveth us but the devil, author of all mischief and fountain of all calamity? Of whose miserable dominion over us, we have felt and tasted to much already.

Now take à man in all his abundance of riches, treasures, & pleasures, flourishing in his most felicity, bravery, and prosperity: let him be, if ye will, another Polycrates of this world, what is he of himself but à carcas, à caitiff, à subject of sathā, à pray to death, rejoicing and laughing in this world, but yet as one y ^t laugheth in his dream, & waketh in sorrow, fraught full of fears & cares of mind, blind in soul, not knowing today what will hap̄ tomorrow, void of all inward rest and peace of conscience, mortal, mutable, miserable, wrapped in wretchedness, prone to all wickedness, whose beginning is in travail, his standing uncertain, his end is corruption: briefly as one living in death, & dead being alive. For how is he alive, that is dead to God? Let the dead (saith our Savior) go bury the dead. &c. speaking of thē which lived, and yet to God were dead. And how cā we be else but dead to God, except we be brought and reconciled by Christ to God?

And yet for all this, such is our dullness that either we feel not what it is to lack the Lord, or our willfulness such, that we care not for that we lack. But how soever it be, that either we will not or cā not see, the end of all things declareth what à miserable thing it is the creature to be divided from his creator. In whom as everything hath his being: so not to be in him is to be in deed nothing: whom once we had, afterward lost him, and in losing him, have lost with him all things. By creation first we had him, by transgression afterward we lost him, and all through the means of our great 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Adam: who by his disobedient presumption brought this woeful division between God and us. Whereupon hath ensued all this rueful ruin of the whole creature and nature of man, being secluded from God's favor and protection, and given over to death and to him that hath power of death, that is, to Satan, which ever since hath had dominion over us.

And thus may you see (good Christian audience) the sorrowful state and condition of mankind, fallen from his original felicity, wherein he was first planted, not into à peck of troubles, but into à hell full of all miseries, into utter desolation, and destruction, death & damnation, and all through y ^e transgression of one. Out of whose root first springeth this public infection of our nature which we call original sin, prone to all corruption, destitute of grace and righteousness, and void of all goodness: which original cancker hanging in our flesh, draweth us from God and all goodness. Wherof S. Paul in his letter to the Romans, complaineth thus and saith: That he knoweth and feeleth that in him, that is to say, in his flesh there is no goodness dwelling. &c. And again, where he saith: I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind, captiuing me. &c. Rom. 7. And this original sin is called Peccatum in nobis inhabitants, sin dwelling or lurking in us. &c. Whereby we have to understand, that beside our outward actions which burst out into opē sin, there lurketh also inwardly in the bottom of our nature à privy fomes, à breeder of sin, an original infection, or (as we may call it) à privy sparcle of the Serpentes seed, infecting our nature, and drawing us from all heavenly disposition, to all earthly concupiscence.

Which lurking infection in us, although it seem but à small matter to many, and especially to the Papists, who use to much to extenuate it, and to make light thereof: yet we must understand that in God's sight it appeareth à mighty matter, passing all other sins: who not only looketh upon our outward and manifest transgressions which we daily committee against his law, but also considereth the person especially, and the crooked nature inwardly infected within us (out of which issue forth these outward transgressions) and so punisheth the same with no less penalty then the outward sins against the law committed. Like as if à mighty hunter chasing the wild Wolf, and happening upon the Wolves den, findeth there the young Wolfelinges which as yet never did no rauen: yet because of the same nature lurking in them, he useth them no otherwise then he doth the old: Even so let every man repute him self as touching his first birth and outward man, as he originally descendeth of Adam, to be execrable unto God, and not only his outward evil doings, but also his inward nature and very person before he begin to work, to be odious unto him.

Which being well expended and weighed in our minds, let us then cast with our selves in what à miserable perplexity and wretched case we sinful creatures were & yet are, so many as be not yet reconciled again in Christ. For what can be more miserable then man to be under the heavy wrath and displeasure of his God (as I said) the creature to be divided from his creator, the pot or vessel to be displeasaunt or in hatred with the potter? For what are we else, but as earthen pots in the hands of our God, which formed and created us?

Now if variance and debate breed such dangers and mischiefs amongst the creatures themselves wheresoever it cometh: what is to be thought of that discord which is between the seely creature and the creator him self? In à common wealth we see what à woeful state there is, where the Prince with his nobles, or the nobles with the commons cannot agree. What à hell is in that house, where the husband and wife live together in continual jar? or who can abide to live in that City, where the Citizens through civil dissentiō are disseuered in sides among them selves, one fighting against another? The consent of Music may teach us, what an amiable thing to nature it is to tune in one agreement of concord, and how contrary to nature discord soundeth. In the body both of man and beast, where the elemental qualities and humors do not concord together in due proportion and conveniency, life there cannot consist. Briefly, if the wrath of à terrene King in this earth, be death (as the wise King speaketh in the Scripture): what is it then to be under the wrath of the almighty King of all Kings, and God of all creatures?

And under this wrath of our Lord and God, all we mortal wretches for sin in us (which God created not, but hateth in us) were woefully wrapped (and as the Scripture speaketh) Eramus natura filij irae: We were by nature the children of wrath. &c. enemies to God, divided and sundered from him, and so continued à long time, ever since this sinful nature first took place in us. For sin by nature gendereth wrath, and provoketh judgment: Judgment by law ministereth death and damnation: with death entered the devil, and with him heaps of infinite miseries and calamities. And in this pickle lieth man by nature, that is, all we that be Adams children. Let no man flatter him self, or think better of him self; that is, of his own original nature, then is here declared. Neither is here declared any other thing, then the Scripture itself concludeth, which concludeth us altogether to be under sin. All our mouths are stopped, and we destitute of the glory of God, standing all at his mercy and grace. We have all gone astray (saith the Prophet Isaiah) every man in his own wicked way. Isaiah. 53. And are all unprofitable servants (saith Christ) yea, when we have done the best we can. And if our best doings be unprofitable in the sight of God to salvation, where then shall our evil deeds become?

These premisses thus considered and concluded by the Scriptures, as you have heard: what shall we say (good Christian audience and beloved brethrē?) Shall we now despair, or is there no remedy, no hope nor help to be had? no truly in our selves, in our selves (I say) none, none at all. For the just judgment of God must needs have his course. God's sentence once pronounced must needs proceed. And as none of us all was ever borne (Christ only excepted) or is now living, that carrieth not y ^e wound of original sin about him: so is there none of us all that possibly in him self can avoid the sentence of God's terrible justice: but death and condemnation will needs proceed against us, under which sentence and malediction we all, every mothers son, as touching our selves, should have perpetually continued, had not à certain dear good friend of ours, our singular good Lord and only patron, à mighty capitaine stepped in between, who to keep off the blow from us, bare the stroke of God's heavy wrath on his back, and so delivered us frō death, being for us slain him self, and thereby slew all enmity between God and us, pacifying by the blood of his cross, all things both in heaven and earth, and so hath purchased this blessed and happy reconciliation between his heavenly father and us earthly creatures.

And as he hath purchased it: so hath he sent tidings of the same here by his Apostle S. Paul, and by all his other Apostles, all about, throughout the whole world, to every creature. Whereof Isaiah thus speaketh, marueiling and rejoicing at the coming of these messengers: How fair (saith he) be the feet upon the mountains, of him that bringeth tidings, and preacheth peace, bringeth tidings of good things, & preacheth salvation, saying to Zion: Thy God shall reign. &c. Isaiah. 52. Which prophecy you see here verified by the preaching of these Apostles: and not only by them, but by other also, whom Christ our Savior ceaseth not continually from time to time to stir up in his Church to be his messengers and Legates Apostolical: who now coming to you also Londoners, as S. Paul did to the Corinthians, with the same words do speak also to you saying: We pray you for Christ's sake, that ye will be reconciled unto God. &c.

Whereby all mourning souls, where soever you are, or whatsoever you be, that labor and be burdened, may note for your comfort, how not only the Lord offereth himself ready to be reconciled, to you if you be willing: but also lovingly and most gently sendeth forth his servants to entreat you to be reconciled unto him. As who would say: In God there is no let, but you may boldly come and be reconciled, whosoever desireth to be at peace with him: only let there be no stay in you. Be you willing to be reconciled, and you shall speed: come and you shall be received, hold out your hand to take what he will give, and you shall have. What more can you desire? And yet moreover to encourage you to come to him, not only he offereth him self ready at your suits to be entreated, but also sendeth abroad his messengers to entreat you, to come and be reconciled to him.

And further, lest ye should think those messengers to come in their own name, and so regard them the less, mark what S. Paul addeth moreover, how he not only prayeth them, but also in à manner adiuring thē. We pray you (saith he) pro Christo, for Christ's sake, as though he would say: as you love Christ, and will do anything for his cause which hath so dearly bought you, we pray you, not for our selves, but in the name of him, that you will be reconciled unto God.

And yet neither is this also enough, which notwithstanding is so much as may make us all to marvel at his mercies. But mark moreover the speech of the holy Ghost, and consider the exceeding tenderness of y ^e unspeakable benignity of our God. We were the offenders, and he the party that was offended: we his creatures, and he our maker: we the first breakers frō him, and yet all this notwithstanding, such is the passing and more then fatherly richness of his grace, that he not only offereth and sendeth unto us, yea adiureth us in his own sons name: but also, which is more then all that can be most, even the same God prayeth us, even him self, even us I say, such misers and damnable wretches, that we will come and be agreed with him: for so the tenor of our text in plain words purporteth, where he saith: Even as God him self praying you by us, we pray you for Christ's sake, that you will be reconciled unto God. &c. Here is offending, and yet here is praying and praying again. O gentleness, O kindness. Man first began the division: and God beginneth first the reconciliation. God prayeth, Christ prayeth, and the Apostle prayeth. Man offendeth and hath forfeited his soul to the devil, and yet is prayed. He that should pray to be forgiven, is prayed to be content to be forgiven. What should we here say or think (well-beloved Corinthians here of London ) but cry out with the words of Nazianzen: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : that is: O the readiness of God's gracious love: O the easiness of his exorable reconcilement. &c.

Although it be not in my utterance, nor in no mortal tongue to express the fullness of these deep & profound mysteries of spiritual things: yet by that as I could declare, somewhat you heard, and more may conceive with yourselves, first of the horrible wrath of God, and his district severity against sin, with all such penalties, plagues, and punishments, due for the same, declared unto you. After y ^t you have heard again of the singular and superabundant greatness of his fatherly tenderness toward us, who so willingly, so kindly, not only offereth his reconciliation, but also inviteth us, yea prayeth us to be reconciled to him.

Now, what this reconciliation is, and what great things come thereof, it followeth likewise to be considered. Which albeit cannot so amply be described to you as it is in it self, yet by similitudes and examples partly it may be conceived. For as we see in à worldly government, when any subject is under the indignation and displeasure of his prince, his state is miserable, his mind unquiet, fraught full of fear, and dread, his heart out of comfort, in his life no safety, but he living like à dead man: briefly no calamity lacketh, where the wrath of à Prince hangeth. But if the trespass be pardoned, and displeasure removed, then fear departeth, hope reviveth, comfort cometh, and life beginneth to look up. Even so, or rather much more then so, it is between God and man. For so long as we were under wrath, there was nothing in man but death, dread, damnation, hell, malediction, the tyranny of Satan, unquietness: in sum, all the miseries of hell were heaped upon the poor soul of man. But after it pleased the goodness of our God to turn from us his wrath, and to receive us again to favor: now all is turned, our fear to hope: death to life: damnatiō to salvation: hell to heaven: malediction to bless: the power of Sathā dissolved: care to comfort: and in sum, all the felicities, so many as Paradise can hold, do now belong to man.

But what should I set forth the high amplitude of this heavenly reconciliation of our Lord by earthly similitudes, which by no comparison of man can be expressed? For in man's agreement, though the prince be reconciled never so well with the subject, yet it may happen that the agreement may break off again shortly after. Again, the reconcilement that is between man and man, is commonly but for that one trespass which bred the variance: which being forgiven, agreement cometh. So is it not between God and us. Neither is his reconciliation so variable or incōstant as altereth by days or times: but is the receiving of mankind into the eternal favor and mercy of God, even the same favor which Isaiah the Prophet, Chapt. 54. speaketh of in these words, saying: For a little moment of time I have left thee, but in great mercies I will gather thee. In a moment of my indignation, I have hid my face a while from thee: but in my everlasting mercy, I have pitied thee, saith the redeemer thy Lord. &c.

This reconciliation now to be defined, is y ^e receiving again of mā into the perpetual favor of God, purchased by Christ to all them, that by faith and repentance come unto him. Which eternal favor of God, as we shown before to be freely offered unto us: so now remaineth further to be explained, what favor this is, how it is perpetual, by what cause it cometh, and to whom it belongeth. Touching the first, to declare what favor this is whereunto we are received, here is to be understand by the meaning of S. Paul, this favor to be that which is contrary to the wrath and malediction which went before for sin. For as that malediction did threaten unto us eternal rejection, under which we were and should perpetually have continued had it not been stopped: so is this reconcilement à receiving again into eternal acceptation, which perpetually doth and shall continue for Christ's sake, to all faithful believers in him. And this favor I call perpetual in respect of time: for that God promiseth never to remember, nor to impute our sins anymore for Christ's sake. Jeremiah. 31. And hereof springeth the fountain of perpetual remission, promised in the xiii. chapter of the Prophet Zacharias: where he saith: In that day shall be open to the house of David, and to the dwellers of Jerusalem, a fountain to the cleansing away of sin, & menstrui. &c.

Where note how the Prophet saith: In that day. &c. assigning not diverse and sundry days whē Christ's body should be offered for sin: but signifying that one day should come, when that Lamb and sacrifice which was slain from the beginning of the world in God's determination, and afterward was offered actually once and no more, should suffice to purge the sins and filthiness of all the dwellers in Jerusalem, that is, of all such as retain to him by faith. And thus have you the cause of remission of sins to be only the sacrifice of Christ's body offered up to God, not every day, but in one appointed day, which we call good friday: for the which sacrifice sake God hath assured his promise to all & singular persons that shall come or seek to his son by faith, to give them free forgiveness, and never to remember, nor impute their sins to them anymore.

And herein standeth the difference between the Popes doctrine and ours. For he holdeth that the sacrifice of Christ's body not one day, but every day is to be offered for sin. Contrary, we with the Scriptures affirm, remission of sins to be the effect only of one cause, that is, of Christ's blood our Savior, sacrificed once on good friday upon the Cross (and never else) to take away all malediction of sin forever, as well for them that were before his passion, as them that should follow after. And that is it that the Scripture saith: The Lamb to be slain from the beginning of the world (and so is he slain to the latter end): meaning thereby the virtue and power of that sacrifice to extend universally to all times, to all men, and to all kind of sins, from the beginning to the end of the world forever: So that on Christ's part, the cause only which worketh reconciliation and remission of sins, is his only death and bloodshedding once sacrificed actually (and never else) upon good friday. On our partes the cause only y ^t worketh this reconciliation and remission, and is of us required, is not to offer up this body again for à daily sacrifice to God: but only to believe faithfully & obediently upon him that was sacrificed for us, & so by faith to apply the merits of his passion to us. And to this faith God hath promised perpetual remission of our sins, according to the manifest testimony of the Scripture, where it is in y ^e Acts of the Apostles thus expressed: That to him all the Prophets bear witness, all mē to receive remission of sins by him, whosoever believe in his name. &c. Again, Acte. 16. Beleue in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved, and thy whole house. &c. Peter & Paul say not: Offer Christ's body for à daily sacrifice to God: but, only believe in him & thou shalt be saved. And thus much hitherto concerning reconciliation, what it is, how it is perpetual, what is the only cause thereof, and to whom it belongeth: whereof more shall be said (Christ willing) in further process hereof.

Now as touching this reconciliation and favor of God aforesaid, as it reacheth to the free remission of all men and to all times, as well before as after: so moreover this is to be added, and worthy to be noted, that not only it reacheth to our sins, but extendeth to the acceptation of the nature and person also of man: so that through this reconcilement, not only our sins are done away: but also y ^e person of mā, which before was execrable unto God, is now accepted, which before was odious, is now beloved, which before was impure and unclean, is now purified, regenerated, and changed as into another person, and as ye would say, made à new man in the sight of God: not because the new life of à man maketh the man new in God's sight: but because the man being first made new, and regenerated by reconciliation, bringeth forth afterward à new life.

And here cometh in that which we call regeneration, or new birth, not in being altered into any new bodily substance from that we were: but in being turned by reconciliation into à new state of favor & grace, as who before were dead to God, damnable creatures, & children of wrath: but now are accepted, purged, and justified from the malediction as well of original sin as actual: which before times were separated frō God, but now restored again to grace & favor, even the same favor of God, wherein Adam stood before his fall in Paradise, and more to.

Of this regeneration we read in many places of the Scripture, which Scripture giveth us to understand this our new regenerate birth to be referred not so much to the outward acts of life, as chiefly to y ^e person & nature of mā, altered and changed into à new state of grace & favor with God by spiritual reconciliation, yea before he begin to work any good action. Whereupon afterward follow the fruits of new life, which we call good works, & are called good, not so much for the worthiness of y ^e action done, as for y ^e worthiness of the person the doer thereof, which is à faithful Christiā reconciled in Christ to God. And thereof take good works their goodness, being not only accepted for good, but also imputed in Scripture sometimes to merit: as where Christ our Savior saith: I was hungry and ye fed me, I was in prison, and ye visited me: Come therefore and possess the kingdom. &c. Math. 25. Not that the value of the work deserveth that imputation, but that the work is so imputed for the faith of the person: for else let an infidel do the same, or more to, and all is sin that he doth. But let the Christian do, be the thing never so simple, if it be good it is accepted, and if it be otherwise, yet is it remitted, so that in a brief sum, the order of all this standeth thus. First cometh Christ crucified and offered for us: with him cometh faith apprehending him: with faith ensueth reconciliation or justification, through y ^e promise: whereby man being reconciled unto God (which before was rejected) is made now à new creature, because he is set now in à new stock: and this is called regeneration. After regeneratiō of the person (which is accepted for his faith) followeth thē the fruits of new obedience, which be accepted for the faithful person: but because our new obedience is always and in all men imperfect, and falleth many times into disobedience through frailty of flesh, for à remedy thereof followeth remission of sins. And thus have you the golden chain of our salvation: First beginning with Christ: then cometh faith: faith bringeth reconciliation, or justification: with it cometh regeneration: after which ensueth new obedience, or mortification, with acception of good works: Last of all cometh remission of sins and maketh all sure.

Touching which remission of sins, here is further to be noted: First that this remission is not only of such sins as go before Baptism or regeneration, but also of all such which à man repenteth him of with faith, from the beginning till the end of his life. Secondly is to be understand, that this remission is not only for all actual sins which man committeth, but also for original sin which nature bringeth. Thirdly, neither must we think this remission of the New Testament to be like to the remission of sins practiced in the old law, which stood by sacrifices. Wherein this difference there is: First that remission which was by sacrifices, served not for all sins, nor for such as were to come, but only for such sins as were before the sacrifice: so that whensoever any new sin followed, new sacrifices were required. Secondly, that remission stood only for actual sin, and not for original. Thirdly, in that Legal or temporal remission is moreover to be noted, that sacrifice for sin was then but à thing typical, so that albeit the crime for which the sacrifice was offered was done away, yet the person notwithstanding remained still under death and the penalty of original sin pronounced against Adam and all his posterity. Briefly in one word to conclude, between this remission of the New Testament and that of the old, so much difference there is, as is between temporal things and eternal. Of which difference let us hear what the Prophet Iereme teacheth us, saying: Behold the days shall come, saith the Lord, & I shall make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and the house of Judah, not after the covenant which I made with their fathers whē I brought them out of Egypt with strong hand, and they transgressed my covenant, but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, saith the Lord, I will give my law within them, and in their heart I will write it, and I will be their God, and they my people &c. For I will have mercy of their iniquities, and their sins I will never more remember. &c. Jeremiah. 31.

By these words of y ^e Prophet, if they be well marked, we have to learn à manifest difference between the old covenant, and the new: and what the grace is of the New Testament, especially concerning remission of sins: which sins he saith shall never more be remembered, meaning that the day should come when God will set such à sacrifice for sin, which shall give à perpetual remedy forever: so y ^e although sin shall need daily to be helped, yet no more sacrifices should need to be offered, but that one should serve and suffice forever. Whereby we see remission of sins to stand otherwise now then it did then. For in the old law although sins were purged after à sort, by sacrifices and blood of beasts: yet that remission lasted not forever, but for certain times, so that new sins ever required new sacrifices.

Wherein apperaeth the pernicious abuse of the daily sacrifice of the Popes Mass, most false and contrary to all Scripture, utterly subuerting the truth of God's covenant and Testament. For if sin should need daily purgation by daily sacrificing, as it did before, what difference then make we between the New Testament and the old, between the Christians and the Jews? Or if Christ's body once sacrificed for sin cannot serve except it be daily sacrificed for purgation thereof, where is then this everlasting reconciliation taught by the Apostles? or where is this never remembering of our sins anymore, promised by the Prophets? how is that wound cured forever, which every day needeth à new plaster? Briefly, how hath he made thē perfect with one oblatiō forever which be sanctified, if Christ once offered suffice not, but every day must be offered à fresh? what perfectiō is in that which every day is new to begin? If sin (malediction of sin I mean) be not once taken away forever, how thē hath Christ made us perfect forever? Heb. 10. or how hath he found out eternal redemption by once offering him self for us? Heb. 9. For what is eternal redemption else, but eternal remission of sins? Now, where remission of sins is, and y ^e same remission eternal, what needeth anymore hosts or oblations for sin? as the Apostle plainly testifieth, saying: Vbi peccatorū est remissio, iam non est amplius oblatio pro peccato. i. Where remission of sins is, there is no more oblatiō for sin. &c.

Let us reason now then with these sacrificing Priests of the Popes law, after their own distinctions. A continual or daily sacrifice, say they, must ever remain in the Church. For what purpose, I ask? For remission of sins, say they. So had the Jews in the old law continual and daily sacrifices for remission of sin remaining amongst them also. What difference is now between the New Testament & the old, if the danger of sin remain in both Testaments alike, to be done away by continual reiteration of sacrifices? Or if there must needs be à difference, let them show what difference it is, or wherein it consisteth else but only in y ^e cause of remission: which in the New Testament standeth one forever, in the old Testament it is daily repeated by renewing of sacrifices. Of the which cause the Apostle to the Hebrews, speaking of Christ Jesus crucified, and consummated, specifieth moreover, & saith: factus omnibus obtēperātibus sibi, causa aeternae salutis. &c. i. Was made to all which obey him, the cause of eternal salvation. &c. Heb. 5. By the which words we are taught the cause of remission of sins to be the only body of Christ offered for us, & the same body to be once offered and never more, as in the same Epistle followeth in these words declared: Nunc autem semel in instant consummatione. &c. i. Now hath he once appeared in this latter consummatiō of the world, to the destruction of sin by his own oblation. &c. Heb. 9. Whereby we have to note, that as the once appearing of Christ is the only cause of destruction of sin, and remission not to be sought at any other cause but that alone: so is their doctrine vain which require anymore appearinges of Christ to remit sin, then only the same. And thus appeareth the true difference between remission in the old law, and in the new: whereof the one which stood by renewing of sacrifices was temporal, the other is perfect and perpetual, perfect I mean as touching the cause of putting away sin, which once done standeth forever.

But here come they with à blind distinction of [bloody and unbloody] and say, that in the Jews law they offered y ^e blood of Goats and Calves, and of other diverse sortes of beasts: but in the new law they offer continually one sacrifice and no moe, which is the body of Christ, and that after an unbloody sort. Whereunto I answer: first if they have the body of Christ, let them offer it. But they which do well consider the Scriptures, do see & know that Christ's body is not here to be offered: Unless they mean the members of his mystical body here in earth, which they sacrifice every day with such store of blood, as is pitiful to see: but else the true body of Christ in deed y ^e Scripture placeth to be in heaven, and not in earth. Once it was in the hands of sinners and was offered of them, but now he is out of their hands, and past all men's reach to be offered anymore. Wherefore, where they say, they offer the body of Christ, that is but à fantasy. For as the presence of the body here ceaseth, so ceaseth the offering thereof also.

Now, although his bodily presence were here: yet is he not to be offered to appease God's wrath for sin anymore. For first, none can offer the body of Christ for sin to his father, but himself: because in the New Testament to offer for sin, requireth à Priest which is immaculate, impolluted, and segregated from sinners, as we read. Heb. 7. Talis enim decebat vt nobis esset pontifex, sanctus, innocens. &c i. For so it behooved, that our Bishop for us should be holy, innocent. &c. And again: Sermo autem iurisiurandi, qui post legem esset. &c. that is: But the word of the oath which followeth after the old law, appointed his son to be our perfect Priest forever. &c. Heb. 7. Secondly, by the types of the old law Christ cannot be offered for sin but it must be without the tents by the law, or else his sacrifice cā not answer to the law. Thirdly, whensoever Christ is offered for the pacifying of God's wrath for sin, it must be upon the cross. For so we read. Coloss. 1. Pacifying all things by the blood of his cross, all things both in heavē & in earth. &c. Fourthly, it must be also with blood, for by y ^e Scripture, Without effusion of blood there is no remissiō. &c. Heb. 9. Fifthly, where they say, they offer no moe sacrifices but one, which is the body of Christ: that is not enough, forasmuch as the Scripture requireth not only the hoaste to be one, but the time also to be one. For probation whereof we have the plain words of Scripture. Heb. 7. where the Apostle speaketh of offering for y ^e sins of the people: For that (saith he) he hath done once, offering him self. &c. Heb. 7. Also chapt. 9. where the same Apostle comparing Christ entering with his sacrifice with the high Priest in the old law, entering into the secrete tabernacle once à year, at last concludeth and saith: Sic & Christus semel oblatus est ad multorū tollenda peccata. &c. i. So also Christ (saith he) was once offered for the doing away the sins of many &c. Again, in the same chapter, excluding all offerings of Christ saving one, he saith: Not that he should offer him self at times as the high Priest did: but once for the doing away of sin he appeared by his own oblation. &c. Heb. 9. Sixthly, where they pretend to offer the body of Christ daily: I ask, to whom? They will say to y ^e father. Wherefore? To pacify his judgment for sin. Wherunto I answer with the Gospel: that needeth not, forsomuch as the Gospel witnesseth, that the father now judgeth no man anymore, but hath given all judgment to his crucified Christ. John. 5. Item, hath givē to him power of all flesh. John. 17. Item, hath givē to him all power both in heaven and earth. Math. 28. Item, Christ now draweth all things to himself. John. 12. Item, he hath appointed him judge both of the quick and of the dead. Act. 10. Now if they say, they offer Christ's body to Christ himself for remission of sin, that is absurd and vain.

And thus much I thought necessary, having here to entreat of reconciliatiō, to speak against the sacrifice of y ^e Mass, forsomuch as these two cā not consist together, but one must needs destroy the other. For if the reconciliatiō of God's favor purchased by Christ once for us be perfect & perpetual, then this daily sacrificing for sin, is superfluous. And if the same must needs be continued in the Church as à necessary remedy for appeasing God's wrath, and for expiation of sin frō time to time, then must the sacrifice of Christ's Priesthode be imperfect, being of no more power and virtue to reconcile us unto God, then y ^e yearly and daily sacrifices of the Jews, which ever required new sacrifices to be done for sin. And where is then the killing of God's wrath by the blood of Christ, spoken of? Colos. 1. Where is the pacifying of all things both in heavē and earth? Where is y ^e difference between the old covenant and the new? or where is the never remembering of our sins anymore? Where be then y ^e goodly feet upon the mountains of them that bring us message of peace, of good tidings, and of salvation? Isaiah. 52. Where is the day, or what day of Christ was it which Abraham saw and rejoiced? or where is the one oblation, & that once offered, which bringeth eternal redemption? Heb. 9.10. Where is thē captivity led away captive? Ephe. 4. Where is the breaking of the Serpentes head? the overthrow of death? the victory of hell? the hanging up of the handwriting? Where is the vele broken which separated us from God? the everlasting mirth upon the heads of them that be in Zion? or the confident dwelling of them in Jerusalem, promised in Jer. 23. Ezech. 34. Zach. 14? or where is the eternal righteousness brought in by the Prophet Daniel, chapt. 9. if this reconciliation be not eternal?

Briefly, to bring in any other sacrifices for sin, but only the oblation of Christ's blood, and that once offered, taketh away the glad message and power of the Gospel, casteth men's minds into à doubtful wavering of their salvation, and finally dissolveth the whole harmony of the Scriptures both Prophetical & Apostolical. For if the Prophetical Lamb in the old law once slain on the 14. day of the first month, and his blood sprinkled, loosed the whole congregation out of the thralldom of Egypt, so that they were never brought into the same again: so the blood of Christ's cross (to speak with the words of S. Paul ) once offered likewise on the 14. day of the said first month, dischargeth his whole universal Church out of the bands of hell and of the Devil, and that perpetually, never to be reduced thither again. And yet notwithstanding, as the Israelites being brought out of Egypt, when they sinned against God, were punished in the desert, and yet the promise of the plentiful land nevertheless still went forward: even so the elect members of Christ's Church after their deliverance, when they sin against God by fragility of weak flesh, their sins be punished with temporal scourges in this world, but yet the truth of God's everlasting favor standeth forever to all them that repent by faith.

As touching therefore the daily sacrificing of Christ's body, as I proved before, so I repeat again & in one word conclude, that no sacrifice of Christ's body can serve for sin, but where Christ him self is the Priest. Neither doth the Scripture admit any sacrifice propitiatory for sin, but were blood is, and where the suffering goeth withal, and where the host is consumed without the tents by the fire of God's judgment.

These things thus discoursed and proved by the Scriptures, to proceed now in our text, seeing almighty God so gently offereth unto us, (as ye have heard good audience) let us take that he giveth: seeing he calleth so graciously, let us come to him: yea seeing he prayeth so entirely, let us grant his request: and seeing so fatherly he spreadeth to us the arms of his reconciliation, let us with the lost son return home again to our father: briefly seeing on his part there is nothing lacking that we can desire, let us now for our partes do that he desireth of us. What is that? Vt reconciliemini Deo, that ye will for your partes be reconciled unto God. &c. How should we be reconciled unto God? Come to Christ, submit yourselves, and believe in him with a true faith, and thus you are reconciled to the father. For so we read: If any man serve me, him will my father honor. John. 12. And if ye have not found this son, seek for him by repentance. Seek (saith he) and ye shall find. Repentaunce seeketh, faith findeth, & if ye have found him, hold him. And how should ye hold him? Obey him, so ye shall hold him, for faith requireth obedience. Of this obedience we read, Heb. 5. He is made to all men that obey him, cause of eternal salvation. &c. By him God is reconciled to us, though we offended. Now being reconciled, let us obey & offend no more, lest his wrath again be kindled against us.

What shall we say then? May we loose again this reconciliation? And how then standeth this favor of God perpetual which I spake of before, if it may be lost? Truth is, the favor of God is perpetual to them, whom he receiveth to reconciliation: and yet albeit this favor be perpetual, we must not think therefore, that God ceaseth now to be angry with sin, & that we may live now as we list. For these things, saith S. Paul, cometh the anger of God upon the children of disobedience. &c. Ephes. 5. And yet neither again must we make such a fickle and unstable thing of this reconciliation of God, as though who soever sinneth, by and by were cancelled out of the book of God's reconcilement. For how should then the elect be saved, which fall sometimes as the reprobate do, and yet are not forsaken? Whom the Lord loveth (saith the Scripture) he loveth to the end: and whom he receiveth likewise he receiveth to the end. Or where were then remission of sins perpetually promised to the reconciled, if frayltie of sinning do break the league of reconciliation? Sin (saith S. Paul) shall not prevail over you. Rom. 6. Also S. John saith: And if you do sin, yet ye have an advocate with the father, and he is the propitiation for all our sins. &c. 1. John. 2.

Here therefore we must make à distinction of sinners. Of whom some be repentant and vprysing sinners, some be unrepentant. The repentant sinner I call him, who when he slideth, doth it with à repugnance of will going before, & with à repentance of heart following after. The unpenitent sinner, as he maketh no resistance before sin, so is he touched w ^t no remorse after following, but taketh a delight in that whereof he should lament. The penitent sinner saith, I have sinned, but by God's grace I will amende, and commit no more: the other saith, I have sinned, I do sin, and I will sin, who soever saith nay. The voice of the one is: That good that I would do, that I do not: the voice of the other is: the evil that I would do, that do I perform. In the flesh of the one sin dwelleth, which S. Paul calleth peccatum inhabitants: but in the heart of the other sin reigneth, and beareth the whole rule.

The difference of these two sinners considered, I answer now to the doubt, making this distinction also of reconciliation, that as there be ii. sortes of justification: one before God, another before man: so be there two sortes of reconciliation: the one is effectual with God, which S. Paul calleth secundum propositum: the other is apparent only before man. Now then as touching the repentant sinner, I say, that sin in him absolutely breaketh not reconciliation between God and man. For else where were remission of sins left to the Church for a remedy to keep this atonement perpetual, if sin did break reconciliation? He that by vehemence of temptation and infirmity of flesh is fallen, or rather cast down willing to do better, but not able to do what he would, the infirmity of this Christian penitent obtaineth remission, breaketh not reconciliation, neither loseth grace, but rather doth illustrate grace, as Christ him self resolving this question, answereth to S. Paul: My grace, saith he, is enough for thee, for in thy infirmity my power is more declared. &c. 2. Cor. 12. And again, the Apostle saith: Where sin aboūdeath, there superaboūdeath grace. Rom. 5. meaning that sin, which is joined with repentance. But contrariwise, they which presumptuously and ostinatly without remorse or regard of him whō they offend, take à pleasure and make à custom of sin, and have not (to use S. Paul's words) sin dwelling in them, but they rather dwell in sin, and not only do not resist the temptations of Satan, but rather are tempters & Satan's to other to follow their sinful appetite: to such willful men, whom I account no men, but rather monsters of men, I say not that they in thus doing do lose the reconcilement of God, which they had: but that they never had this effectual reconcilement with God, to lose, nor never shall, unless they through earnest repentance, seek to the son of God by faith for remission of their sins, and be truly reconciled unto God by faithful obedience.

By this ye see that such as be sinners, not willful but penitent sinners, though by infirmity they sin, yet do they not lose the gift of reconciliation. And why? For although they fall, yet they fall not under the law, but under grace, that is to say, though the office of the law is naturally to work wrath: yet forsomuch as the person of the sinner is not under the law, therefore is he not under wrath, but instead of wrath standeth reconsiliation, instead of the law reigneth grace.

Seeing therefore such a love day (loving brethren) is made between God and you through the mediation of Christ's Cross, be ye now reconciled unto God, as he is to you. And as ye see his fatherly kindness in offering his reconciliation, you being in all the blame: do you likewise express the like gentleness in reconciling yourselves for his sake, neighbor to neighbor, one toward another. Let all bitterness & wrath be far from you, and let not the sun go down upon your anger. When ye were offenders to God, what he hath done & doth, ye se. So if your neighbors, equals, or inferours have offended you, or you thē: stand not so much in your reputation to disdain to abase yourselves, but either come, or send forth your messengers of peace, not only to bid him good morrow or good even, but thus say: Neighbor, I have offended you & you me. Come therefore, let us be reconciled, and live in love and charity like brethren in Christ, as Christ hath reconciled us both unto his father.

And thus as ye see God hath given his own son to death to reconcile you unto him: let it not be grievous to you, to give and forgive small matters to your neighbor, to nourish amity and agreement between him and you, without which agreement I see not how man's life can consist First for so much as in this fragility of man's nature, it cannot be avoided but where society is, offenses will either be given or taken: some cause of grudge and variance will rise between man and man, man and wife, friend and friend, yea brother and brother, that shall set them à sunder.

Then besides this, cometh in such à multitude of makbates, of flatterers, whisperers, claw backs, backbiters, talecariers, sycophants, and sclaundring tongues, sent out as Satan's messengers, to carry and recary misreportes and false lies, to sow the seed of dissensiō betwixt one and another, so that take away reconciliation, and it shall not be for any to live together one with another in this world.

Some there be which use to give light ear to such whisperers & flatterers, and these are much to blame. Others there be as light of credit, that whatsoever they hear told that they believe, and so believe the first tale, that they will not believe the second, and these one eared men be worse thē the first, worthy to have but one ear on their head, which will not hear with both. But the third sort is worst of all, who being inflamed by sinister reports, after they have once conceived an inward grudge against their friend or neighbor, are so stiff, so wayward, & so crabbed, that hardly or never they will be reconciled after. Such stoical stomachs & unsociable natures, which neither live here like Angels, nor yet remember them selves to be but men amongst men, are to be sent ad rempublicam Platonis, or to M. Mores Vtopia, either there to live with themselves, or else where as none may live to offend them. With what measure ye meat to other, the same shall be met again to you, saith the voice of justice. But here speaketh the voice of mercy and desireth you, that as God hath measured unto you, so ye will measure to other. He is reconciled as you see unto you, be you reconciled now one to another. And if his reconcilement be eternal, and in great matters, and for great offenses, little can ye do, if in little trifles one of you will not bear with another.

[Objection.] But peradventure some will object and say: Syr, you preach much of reconciliation and agreement to be between God and us, and that he hath received us to his perpetual love & favor. But what reconciliation this is you speak of, I cannot tell: this I know, that I find here misery and sorrow enough, I sweat, I travail, I cark and care. Of the sower bread of heaviness, and bitter drink of adversity I lack no store, tormoyled in troubles, pinched with poverty, afflicted in conscience, burdened with sins, vexed with temptations, Satan assaulteth me, hell feareth me, God's judgment accuseth me, sickness oppresseth me, and at last death consumeth me to dust and nothing: and where then is this favor and love of God toward me, when I fele nothing here but the wrath of God upon me?

To answer hereunto, I grant (well-beloved) that this is à sore objection in deed to flesh and blood, being not yet perfectly instructed in the knowledge & consideration of Christ's kingdom. Wherein you have need of two manner of helps: whereof the one is in your preachers, the other is in yourselves. First and especially your preachers had need here to help in setting forth the promises & glory of Christ's kingdom: whereby your hearers may be established in the faith of his word, and assured in hope of things to come. For else great and manifold be the causes of discomfort daily rising, enough to beat down à man's heart frō hope of heavenly things: et sensus contrariorum (ye know) fortis est et caro in nobis infirma, the sense of contrary things is strong in this world, and flesh in us is feeble. Besides this, the devil ceaseth not, hell gapeth, death rageth, conscience accuseth, the law threateneth, God's justice terrifieth, his punishments and rods walk still from one to another: every day lightly bringeth some example, some spectacle or other of God's terrible judgments before our faces. Here now the heart of man lieth in great perplexity, comfortless, and distressed on every side, scarce able to take any breath of comfort, nor knowing welnere whether to turn him, unless you which be preachers and spiritual physicians of the soul, minister to the weak conscience of man some confortatiue, or some cordial restorative out of God's mighty promises and heavenly message of Christ's holy Gospel. Help therefore I beseech you, in opening to the people the promises of grace, the word of life, the glorious treasures and abundant riches, not of this present world here, but laid up for us hereafter in Christ to come: so that the faith of the people being grounded upon the sure rock of God's word and promises, may stand firm & unmovable against all blasts of worldly temptations, waiting with hope for things, not here seen, but only hoped for, and shall be seen hereafter. And thus much for the ministers of Christ's Gospel.

Again, for you that be the hearers, it is also your part no less to give diligent hearing unto your preachers, and hearken to the word of God, whereby you may learn to know the difference between things here present, & things to come: between this world which here standeth, and the world which hereafter followeth: between the kingdom of this world, and the kingdom of Christ. Many there be which beholding the course of things here present, and setting all their delight & study therein, have their cyes fixed upon nothing else, being either so blind that they see not, or else so willful that they pass not for things that be to come, but say either with the foolish Atheist in the Psalm, non est Deus: or else with the fleshly Epicure, say as they were wont in the time of Nazianzen: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . i. Geue me that is here present, and let God alone with that is to come. &c. These wretched persons are both deceived.

But they that be true Christians and have regard to their souls, must learn by their preachers, and understand by the Scriptures, that besides this life, besides this world, this kingdom, these things here present, there be other things and much greater things, another life, another kingdom, another, world to be looked for. Which two worlds or kingdoms, as they are contrary in effect and working, so the times of them must be distincted. For as the law hath his time, so hath grace his time also: and as death hath his time to reign here: so hath life his time to reign likewise: and as wrath hath his working yet à while: so reconciliation shall have his time to work hereafter: so that in this world remaineth troubles, vexations, toil, labor, misery, calamity, afflictions inward, afflictions outward, the body subject to sickness, the soul to temptations, the flesh to death, the law yet standing in his force, the same penalty of sin pronounced against Adam, still taketh hold upon us. Briefly, the nature of everything in the same order, & under the same malediction wherein Adam left it, still continueth and shall continue touching this outward body, so song as our old Adam liveth: look for none other in this world, so persuading yourselves, that as there hath ben none heretofore, so is there none of you all here present but away he shall, die he shall, and shall taste corruption.

And yet all this notwithstanding, the Christian mā, albeit his case in this body be miserable, under wrath and punishment, death and malediction, yet is it true, that as he is under death, so is he also under life: as he is under wrath, so is he also under reconciliation: both under y ^e law and under grace, under misery and yet in felicity. And this distinction of times is good for every Christian man to consider, which distinction is this: The wrath of God for sin toward his elect continueth but a time, his favor and reconciliation remaineth forever, his punishments here be temporal, his promises be eternal. Ouer night cometh mourning, but in morning riseth mirth: Our going out is with tears, but our return again into Zion is with everlasting joy upon our be • des. Isaiah. 35. Sin here reigneth, conscience accuseth, the law condemneth, death executeth, the devil cageth. Thus the state of man here is miserable: but the time of this misery lasteth not, but is limited and barred.

Thys bar that cutteth off the time of these miseries is y ^e Passion of Christ our Savior, who hath purchased for us à new life after this, à new world after this world, à new kingdom, à new country, new possessions, new mansions, and all things new, not as they were before, but after à much better sort. Wherefore we having and holding these promises of God, and hope of things to come, may comfort our souls, and rejoice in God's favor, not passing for this world, whether it give prosperity or adversity. If adversity come, let faith hold hope, let hope work patience. With this hope Christ suffered y ^e cross, and so entered into his glory. With this hope S. Paul with all the Apostles sustained tribulations, and rejoiced in afflictions. Through the same hope so many holy Martyrs endured tormētes of death: and this may be called man's Passover. Even so let us also pass over the rough waves of this world, neither being dejected by adversity, nor yet puffed up with prosperity, as men whom neither the evils of the world cā make worse, nor the goods of the world can make better. Whatsoever therefore shall betyde us in this world, and though we be corrected here for our sins (as happeneth most commonly to the elect) let us not measure the state of our election thereby, nor think therefore to be cast out of favor, or the league of our recōcilement to cease, remembering what the Scripture foretelleth us, saying: If they shall transgress my precepts, with rods and scourges I will visit their iniquities: but my mercy I will never remove away from thē. &c. So long as we carry this old Adam about, the penalty of Adam followeth us, that is, we remain under wretchedness, sin, curse, of y ^e law, death, and under the dominion of Satan. But yet all this notwithstanding, we have an helper above them all, who when these have done all they can, and the worst they can, when sin hath accused, the law hath condemned, death hath stricken us down, our granes have swallowed us, and the devil hath shown his utmost malice against us, then cometh he, and where these have ended, there he beginneth to work and show forth the power of his kingdom, to justify the sinner, to discharge the law, to revive the dead, to vanquish the devil, to wipe all tears away, turning death to life, mortality to immortality, darkness to light, mourning to mirth, sadness to solace: briefly, to make all things new of nothing, According to the operatiō of his power, wherewith he is able to subdue all things to him self. Phil. 3.

Thus therefore pondering well the difference between this present world and the world that is hid in Christ, let us not regard so much what we are, but what we shall be: not what we have here, but what we shall have: considering with our selves that the things which we look for, are yet to come, and all that Christ died for, is yet to come, and belongeth not to this world. For the end of Christ's passions was not to make us rich in this earth, that we should become Lord's, Ladies, or Princes here: that we should be made honorable men, noblemen, worshipful, or gentlemen, or that we should abound in wealth and pleasures of this world. Which of us all either here present, or absent, that believe in the passion of Christ, doth florishe thereby any whit more in worldly prosperity, or is advanced in worldly glory, is richer in substance, stronger in body, more beautiful of person, more witty in policy, more prudent in this generation, or hath à penny more of possessions for all the blessed passion of Christ our Savior. No, no, the matters that he died for are to come: they are not here. My kingdom (saith Christ) is not of this world. Where is it then? It is in the world to come. There is our kingdom, our country and City, our occupying, all our shock and store lieth there. This world here present, which we make so much of, is none of ours nor worthy to be made of. Mundus transit (saith the loving Apostle) cum cōcupiscentia eius. i. The world passeth away with all his concupiscence. Also S. Paul, though not in the same words, yet agreeing in the same sense, saith: The figure of this world passeth or vanisheth away, &c. meaning by this figure, the pomp, pride, and glory of the world, the vanity, wealth, felicity, bravery, and jollity in this earth and in earthly things, with daliaunce, pastime, eating, drinking, and all other sensual delites and desires serving to carnal appetite, riches, hie titles, prefermentes, authority, activity, policy, worldly gifts and ornaments, beauty, strength, long life, with such other like things, which carnal reason of man so highly estemeth and magnifieth in this world. All which things as S. Paul here calleth transitory, so in another place writing to the said Corinthians he accounteth them as old things, as though we would call it à world quondam, not as now vading and fading away, but as à thing past away already, clean gone, and dispatched. Vetera praeterierunt, ecce noua facta sunt omnia. &c. i. The old things are past & dispatched, behold (saith he) all things are made new. 2. Cor. 5. And what new things be these? New heaven, new earth, à new world, new life, new bodies, new minds, new possessions, new mansions, new treasures, and all things new, brand new: such as neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath ever heard of before. And all these he saith not, shall be made new, but that they are made new already: although not yet visibly revealed to our outward sight, yet are they manifestly apparent to the spiritual eyes of our faith in the scriptures and promises of God: and though we do not yet corporally possess them, as we shall hereafter: yet are they so sure, as if they were in our hands already. Or rather, why may I not say that we have them, and have entered corporal possession, seeing our Agent and Factor is there and hath taken possession for us? And if our head be there already, how can it be, but the body must follow after? And if Christ be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the first borne of y ^e dead, where ever was there à first, but there must needs be à second? Christ is first risen from the dead, so sure is it that we shall rise also.

And thus by occasion touching the times and difference of these two worlds and kingdoms, which belongeth to every Christian man necessary to consider, to the intent that no man either be to much discouraged with the perturbations of this life if adversity come: nor yet to much puffed up with these vain and transitory trifles if he live in prosperity. Which be two perilous rocks, and many make shipwreck thereat. For so commonly it fareth with the most sort of men, that if any scourge of God's hand do fall upon us, we weep & wail, as though there were none other hell. And if we florishe à while in any wealth, we laugh & sing as though there were no other heaven, yea and almost care for no other life. But we that be Christians are taught by the Scriptures another lesson, whether we be in weal or woe, to turn our minds from the consideration of things here present, and to cheare up our hearts with the expectation of higher things, of better things, of eternal things, of things to come, and therein to occupy our studies, and exercise our senses, not passing for the old and dead things of this world, which, as S. Paul saith, are past already. And what should mē pass then for things that be past? what should we care for things that be conquered! Care ye not, saith Christ: be bold, I have overcome the world. &c. or what should we regard things that be none of ours? For what have we to do with the world, which are redeemed out of the world! These things therefore of the world let us leave to the Turks, Jews, Infidels & Pagans, and if ye will also to the proud Pope and cruel persecutors, which be of the world. This world is none of ours, let them have it to whom it belongeth. Our kingdom is there where our king is: our country where our head is: our City where our freedom standeth. Seeing therefore we be here but strangers, let us pass forward as strangers through the desert of this desolate world. What should we trauailers take long rest in our Inns? And though it should chance unto us, as it happened to y ^e Israelites, to lay our bones here, as they did in the desert, yet let us hold the hope fast of the promised land in the generation to come, which I trust in Christ, well-beloved, doth approach apace. And though as yet we have not bodily entered into it, yet with the eyes of our faith let us look about us, & see upward quae sursum sunt, and behold the glory of them, at least à far off. So shall we lightly shake of the love and lust of this transitory and conquered desert.

And herein the better to help you to some sight thereof, let me desire you, with Moses à little to clime up the hill of Nebo mentioned in the 34. of Deuter. There may ye take à vew of this your spiritual country, & glorious kingdom whereof I preach unto you. There shall ye see your Factor and Agent above mentioned, Christ Jesus taking possession for you in heavē, yea and which is more then all that can be most, passing all admiration, there shall ye see this our own flesh, our own very flesh sitting at the right hand of the almighty majesty of God. There shall you see our noble and triumphāt Capitaine Joshua, our Savior Jesus, with his Priests and Levites, and his people following him, seven times going about the great City Jericho, with trumpets of Iubely in their hands. And I doubt not but he hath gone six times about already. And when the seventh blast shall come, then beware great Jericho. Then shall ye see y ^e walls of this world fall down: then shall ye see the rich men of this world, with their bags of gold and silver come tumbling down. There shall ye behold the stout Giantes of this earth, the sons of Enachim brought full low: their gay houses, their princely palaces come rattling down: the tall trees of Libanus, the mighty okes of Basan, the hye turrets with their defensed munitions, the fair ships of Tharsis, and whatsoever is beautiful & comely in the sight of this world: add to these also the outgrowen Hose of England come tumbling over and over: every heigh moūtaine brought down, and low valleys exalted.

Moreover, there shall ye see the roaring Lion, the venomous Serpent and old Dragon the Devil, which hath kept such à stir here so long, with all his hellishe rabble of bloody persecutors: also with the great Turk and great Calypha of Damascus, with the great Calypha also of Vetus Roma, and all other cruel tyrannes & potentates of this world, which have abused their sword to the destruction of Christ's Saints, fall headlong into the perpetual pit of perdition. The law shall cease, death shall be destroyed, sin, hell, malediction, with all other enemies which wrought us woe before, shall be vanquished. Briefly there shall ye see the whole world with all his pomp & pride, with adulterers, fornicators, userers, and covetous persons dwelling in sinful Jericho, with all their force and puissance broken down to dust: only the house of Raab standing safe, that is, those penitent sinners, which receive God's message, and repent their sins, shall be preserved from the ruin.

Ouer and besides all this, yet one other sight I will declare to you which will do you good to behold. For there ye shall see the proud druncken whore of Babylon, the triplecrowned Bishop even y ^e great Antichrist & the false horned lamb, which hath so exalted him self above God & his son, with his high moūting Castle of S. Angelo, also with his whole College of Babylonicall strūpets & stately Prelates of Romish Jericho druncken with the blood of persecution, blown down with y ^e blast of Iosues trumpets, & with the breath of his mouth even frō y ^e top of Capitolium, us{que} ad infernum. And there shall both the Dragon, the beast, and the false Prophet altogether be tūbled into the lake of fire, that as they have kindled up the fire of persecution here in this world to burn up the bodies of Christ's people, so they shall have fire & brimstone their bellies full, where y ^e smoke of their torments shall rise up in saecula seculorū.

And as these things shall fall upon Christ's enemies contemners of his Gospel, in such sort as y ^e Sun & Moon shall stand still, while Joshua our valiant Captain shall vanquishe xxxj. kings with all the glory of their worldly kingdoms: so on the contrary side, ye shall see the true Christian Israelites divide amongst them great spoils of all their lands and possessions. There shall ye see new Jerusalem the heavenly and Metropolitan City of God all garnished with glory, like à spousesse prepared for her spouse, with glorious mansions, and pleasant tabernacles in it prepared ready to receive you: even such tabernacles, as Peter wished in the mount Thabor to be made, when he was wrapped with glory, in such sort as he could not tell where he was, nor what he spake. Luke. 9. Briefly in that mount Nebo ye shall see, that eye yet never saw, Paradise without any Serpent to tempt anymore, riches without measure, glory without comparison, life without death, day without night, liberty without thralldom, solace without ceasing, joy without ending, à land flowing with milk and honey. And here to make an end of speaking of those things which be endless, looking in this mount well about you, ye shall see with your spiritual eye, that Daniel with his Prophetical eye did see so long before, that the kingdom, the power, and magnitude of his kingdom, that is or shall be under heaven, shall be given to the people of the highest, which kingdom shall destroy all other kingdoms, and this kingdom shall be everlasting. To the which kingdom, the eternal God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is true in his promises, and glorious in all his works, both happily and speedily conduct us, through the merits of Christ Jesus his son and our everlasting Savior. Amen.

And here an end of the first part of this my text which I have read to you out of S. Paul. Wherein hath been declared unto you the gracious and joyful message sent of God, in the name of Christ, by his Apostles, messengers, and ministers unto you. By the which message ye have heard how almighty God not only is reconciled to you, but also how lovingly he entreateth you to be reconciled unto him. Further what this reconciliation of God is, how firm it standeth and perpetual, what went before it, what variance there was between him and us, and how this variance was reconciled, and God's wrath pacified by one oblation once done forever: moreover what things follow after this reconciliation, with the golden chain, and principal pointes of our salvation depending upon the same, and finally how far the time of the law and of wrath lasteth, and when the time of grace beginneth, what difference is between these two times, and how à Christian is both under wrath and also under reconciliation in diverse respects, of y ^e outward mā first, and then of the inward man, with other things not unworthy to be mused upon, partly is set forth in this former part unto you.

Now let us pray, as we first began, making our earnest invocation to almighty God, for the universal state of Christ's Church and all other estates, and degrees in order particular, as custom and also duty requireth. &c.

The second part of the Sermon.

IN the former part of this good fridayes Sermon, ye heard (loving audience) according to my weak ability, uttered unto you the joyful message of God's reconciled favor and grace recovered again, which we had once lost through our just deserts, and were under wrath in great danger perpetually to be cast away both bodies and souls. But so it pleased the gracious goodness of our merciful God, mercifully to receive us again to love, & to become now of à terrible Justicer à tender father toward us. Not that there is any change or alteration in his nature, but that mercy and justice striving together, mercy got the upper hand: or rather that mercy and justice joining together for our redemption, hath brought to pass, that upon merciful causes going before, the just effect of God's wrath (which the law before did work) by good justice must needs give place, and reconciliation come in: because that justice always standing upon just causes, it must needs follow, that y ^e cause being altered & removed away, the effect also must needs cease. So long as we were under the law and sin, so long we were under wrath, that is, under God's just punishment for sin. For y ^e law (as S. Paul saith) worketh wrath. But after that mercy and justice joining both together have vanquished the law, that is, the curse of the law, now then by good order of Justice followeth reconciliation: and yet no nature in God changed, but his marvelous wisdom excellently declared.

Now what causes these were, and how they wrought, and how mercy & justice together conjoined in putting away the law and sin: consequently here remaineth in the second and latter parcel of this my text to be opened (by Christ's help) unto you. Now therefore let us read out the words of the Apostle, which follow.

Here now cometh the preaching of Christ Jesus crucified. Of whō you have often heard, and yet never heard enough: of whom many have preached, and yet never preacher able to search or reach the length, breadth, and profundity of his Cross. In which Cross I find two things most contrary to concur together, the vilest death that ever was, and the most glorious person that ever suffered. What thing so miserable as death? what thing so happy as life? Again, what death so vile as y ^e death of y ^e Cross? what person so glorious as y ^e only begotten son of y ^e living God? Which two things being so contrary, meet together in one tree, according as we read in Prudētius himne: Mors & vita mirando cōflixere duello. Such an hard matter it was, and such an high price, to repair again y ^e reconcilement between God and us. Touching the tractation of which matter, as entering now into à new sermon and à new division, three principal things we have in this letter for you to consider, & me to speak of.

• 1. The first is, the great Innocence that was in Christ, which we have to note in these words: For him that knew no sin. &c.
• 2. Secondly, the grievous passion and punishment laid upon Christ for our sin, which followeth in these words: he made him to be sin for us. &c.
• 3. The third is, the triumph of Christ, with other effects which followed after his passiō, expressed in these words: that we might be made the righteousness of God by him. &c.

First of the Innocence of Christ, the Scriptures in sundry places give witness by many ways, as well by Prophetical types & shadows, as also by other evident demonstrations. Noah the perfect man & righteous preacher in the first age of the world, in whose righteousness and in whose Ark the remnant of all earthly creatures were saved from the flood, what doth he preach unto us besides the true history, but this just and innocent Jesus Savior of the world? The typical Lamb called the Passover, which prefigured the heavenly Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, was commanded to be à male of à year old, immaculate, without spot or blemishe. Also all other burnt offerings were commanded in the old law to be pure and unspotted, for no other cause, but only to signify that Christ, whereof they were figures and shadows, should be the true innocent sacrifice which should make and hath made satisfaction for all our sins. Isaiah prophesying of the innocence of this spotless sacrifice crucified for us, expresseth that which S. Paul here teacheth, & saith in plain words, that he never knew iniquity, nor that any fraud was found in his mouth. And again, the same Prophet describing the flower rising out of the root of Jesse, replenished with God's holy spirit, addeth moreover: And righteousness (saith he) shall be his girdle about his loins. &c. Jeremiah calleth his name, Germen iustitiae, & Dominus iustus noster. i. The bud of righteousness, and our righteous Lord. &c. In Daniel he is called, Sanctus Sanctorū. i. The holy one of all holy. Dan. 9. Zacharias likewise prophesying of this righteous prince: Behold (saith he) thy king shall come to thee, righteous, & a Savior, being humble, and sitting vpō a poor Ass. &c. Zach. 9. Many other places there be in holy scripture, which testify of y ^e righteousness, holiness, & innocence of this immaculate person, of whom it is written: Which of you can rebuke me of sin? Against whom also we read, that the prince of the world came, and found in him nothing, as writeth S. John, meaning thereby his innocence to be such and perfection of his life so absolute, that no creature could stain or charge him with blot or blemish. So absolutely he performed the law & every jot thereof, both the first table, & the second, in loving God above all things, and his neighbor as himself, that neither was there lacking in him anything y ^t the law required, nor anything forbidden in y ^e law, that in him was found: nor yet any else found able to accomplish the same law, besides himself alone. For so it behooved him, which should die for all, to be holy and innocent alone, and none but he, according as we read and sing in the hymn of Ambrose: Tu solus sanctus. i. Thou only art holy. &c. And so he was, and is, and none else holy and innocent in all y ^e world but he.

And therefore false is the doctrine of these untrue catholickes, who disputing of keeping y ^e law of God, seem to extol integra naturalia of man so far as though it were in man's posse and esse, to satisfy the performance thereof. In which number is Lombardus, Tho. Aquinas, Anselmus, Bonauentura, Alexander de Hales. Albeit these, as they do not fully agree in all places with them selves: so because they would seem somewhat to start from the error of Pelagius, they add moreover some addition of God's grace to help free will, and so flying frō one error, fall into another, teaching that à man in this life, being once justified, may fulfill God's law and avoid all sin. After these cometh John. Scotus, who reasoning upon these words of S. Agustine, that à mā without grace cannot eschew all sin. &c. seemeth to resolve y ^e question thus: that à man by free will without grace cannot eschew or cease from all sin, but severally may eschew this sin or that sin, and so every particular sin one after another, & bringeth this similitude of one being in à vessel full of riftes or holes, in which although he can stop one hole after another, yet cannot stop thē all, for while he stoppeth one (saith he) another is open. &c. Tho. Aquine likewise reciting y ^e sentence of the school men, saith, that the power of man's will of it self is able to do things both good and bad without grace: howbeit cannot make the work that is good to merit, but by the help of grace. &c. So that hereby appeareth the opinion of these catholickes to be, that albeit man's free power without grace sufficeth not to eschew all sin, nor to make his good works to be meritorious: yet being assisted with grace, is able in this life to avoid all & every kind of sin, and to fulfill the righteousness of God's law: In so much that Scotus in another place thus reasoneth, that it is not incredible but that many such be in the Church, which live y ^e whole year without mortal sin: yea & by God grace many are which much longer time keep them selves from deadly sin, and exercise moreover many works of perfection, of whose merits riseth y ^e Treasurehouse of the Church. &c. Scot. lib. 4. dist. 17.

Furthermore, after these followed other of latter years, as Eckius, Pighius, Hosius, and others: upon whose vntydie reasons and arguments, certain of our English Papists also grounding their vain opinion, do likewise teach now in these our days, that it lieth in possibility here in this life for à man after he be justified, to fulfill the righteousness of the law by grace, and to avoid all mortal sin: that is to mean, that such abundance of grace and power is given of God here in this life to them that be baptized in Christ, and call for God's grace, that although for venial sins they may say in humility and in truth: forgive us our trespasses. &c. yet as touching mortal sins, they may so live, calling for y ^e grace, that they need not except they will, to fall into deadly sin, but may satisfy the law of God fully & perfectly, in such sort as the same law of God cannot have wherein to condemn or accuse any work of theirs. &c. For these be their own very words.

First, for confirmation of their doctrine they allege the testimonies of Agustine, where he saith: that God neither could command things that were impossible, because he is just: nor would condemn man for that he could not avoid. &c. and addeth in another place, saying: that God would never condemn the slothful servant, if he had commanded that he could not atchiue. Also in his book de natura et grat. We firmly believe (saith he) that God, who is just & good, could never command things that were impossible to be done. &c.

Secondly, out of Jerome they allege this place, where he saith: We detest their blasphemy, which say, that God hath commanded anything impossible to be done. &c.

Thirdly, they allege farther the words of our Savior: Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is sweet, and my burden light. &c.

Fourthly, also for example they infer Zechariah and Elizabeth, who in scripture are said to be just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame. &c. Luke. 1.

Whereunto briefly I answer, and first as touching S. Agustine, albeit I could well answer him by his own retractations, where as he better advising him self, as may appear, hath these words: All the commandments (saith he) are accounted to be done, when that is pardoned which is not done. &c. And likewise might I expound Jerome by Jerome, whereas he in another place speaking of the commandments to be possible, though he doth not deny it to be true, yet asketh he quomodo, how that saying is to be understanded: meaning, that although the commandments be possible to us after à certain manner, yet absolutely and simply he doth not so affirm. Well, and what if this were granted, that God hath givē à law to man which mā cannot keep: what great thing were here to be detested, or what prejudice hereby should ensue either to God's justice or goodness in giving à law impossible for us perfectly to be kept, more then in giving us the Sun, y ^e brightness whereof it is impossible for us to behold, and yet to walk in the light thereof, every man as he may? If à cunning physician should come with an excellent potion to his patient grievously sick, and say: either ye must drink this, or ye cannot live, and if the weak stomach of the party cannot brook it, yet is the physician nothing to blame, but keepeth the true order of physic. Scilurus Scytha when he gave his children everyone à fagot, commanding them to break it, knew right well before, that they were not able to do it, and yet in so doing did he both fatherly and wisely, to the intent his childrē might learn thereby to see their own weakness, and not to trust to their own private strength to much.

But to let this hold go, let us come more nere to close with our adversaries in this matter, and examine their objection with all the partes thereof more attently.

If we by grace helping us (say they) be not able to perform fully & perfectly the righteousness of the law, then were God unjust in commanding things impossible, & unmerciful in condemning the servant for that which he cannot avoid.

But that were detestable blasphemy to say:

Ergo, say they, it must needs be concluded, that it is not impossible for à justified man, by God's grace, to perform the perfect fulfilling of the law.

Whereunto I answer by the Scriptures, that if God had given such à law to be fulfilled of man which no man could fulfill, and that all men for not fulfilling the same, should be condemned, then might they with some reason object this blasphemy unto us. But now we confess and say, that God hath givē à law to be fulfilled of man, and that he commandeth nothing impossible: yea and furthermore with the Scriptures confess, that man hath fulfilled this law actually, really, and thoroughly in all pointes: and yet all this being confessed, neither is it true which they infer, that the justified mā therefore is able, by grace, to fulfill the real perfection of the law, neither is it true, that he which fulfilleth it not, shall therefore be condemned, neither that in God is any unrighteousness or unmercifulness in all this to be inferred, but he remaineth still most just and merciful: yea & to say truth, his mercy and justice could not otherwise both stand & appear together, but only by this way above confessed. And how is all this proved?

First, that God hath given à law to be fulfilled, we all confess.

Secondly, that Christ from the beginning, before the law was given, was preordinate to be incarnate and to take our nature, no man can deny.

Thirdly, that the same Christ in the same our nature hath utterly fulfilled and discharged the law, it is manifest. And how then is that to be accounted impossible to man, which mā so clearly hath accomplished?

Fourthly, that in the same nature and humanity of Christ, the son of God and the son of man, the whole nature of mankind is included, the Scripture teacheth: and therefore is he called the second Adam. For as all we were included in the nature of Adam which first disobeyed, and by him condemned: so are we likewise generally included in y ^e human nature of this second Adam which first obeyed, and by him saved. So that we being now in Christ, that is to say, God beholding our whole nature in y ^e nature of his own son, his fulfilling is our fulfilling, and what he doth, that we do, especially in all such pointes as properly belong to his human working: and therefore is he denominated in Scripture to be Iusticia nostra. For as this proposition is true: Christus pro omnibus mortuus est. i. Christ died for all men: so is this proposition true also: Christus pro omnibus innocens factus est. i. Christ was made innocent for us all. So that what he hath fulfilled, we also have fulfilled, although not after the same manner, yet in as good effect as if it had been after the same manner done: He for us, we by him: he actually performed, we by imputation: he by virtue and merit, we by gift & grace. And this is the perfect grace that we have, to fulfil the perfection of the law. Other grace then this God never gave, nor ever will give to any justified person really and absolutely to satisfy the perfect righteousness of the law. Neither doth it stand with the glory of Christ, that any such perfect grace should be given us. For if by our infirmity, the strength of Christ be made perfect, as Christ him self answereth to S. Paul, so contrariwise, by our perfection y ^e virtue of Christ's cross is lessened: not that there is any such perfection in us in deed, whose righteousness, as S. Agustine saith, magis remission peccatorū constet, quàm perfection virtutum: but such is the blindness of many, that standing in à vain persuasion of their perfectiō when they are imperfect, falsely flatter them selves to be something, whē in deed they are stark nothing: and after the example of the Laodicians imagine them selves to be riche and gay, when in deed they be utterly empty and naked. Apoc. 3.

Fifthly, and though it be so (as it is in deed) that no such grace is given to us from above to attain to the high perfection of the law: yet notwithstanding, by the grace of God, we bring to the law such obedience, as we may. And though we bring not perfection̄ illam, quae remission non eget, yet we bring studium illud virtutis, quod Deus propter fidem comprobat & coronat in nobis: that is, though we bring not that perfection of fulfilling the law, which needeth no remission, yet we bring that endeavor of well doing, which y ^e Lord for faythes sake both accepteth in us, & also crowneth. And as for that imperfection which remaineth, God imputeth not for his Christ, who hath purchased for us perpetual reconciliation and remission of sins.

Sixthly, by these hitherto declared, it appeareth that although we for our partes neither by nature, nor by grace can possibly satisfy the full innocence of the law: yet neither is it true, which our adversaries do infer (speaking absolutely) that God hath commanded things impossible to man. Forsomuch as man hath utterly discharged whatsoever God hath commanded, how thē can y ^e commandments be said to be impossible to man, which man hath fulfilled? And though we for our partes speaking particularly, cannot perform the same, yet that argueth neither blasphemy to be in us to say, we cannot fulfill the commandments, nor any unrighteousness or unmercifulness in God, in giving that which we cannot perform. For as we acknowledge God to be just in giving the law, to declare thereby what we should be: so double wise we have to acknowledge and thank his mercy, first for giving such à person unto us which hath satisfied y ^e law for us: and also in not condemning us for our partes, not fulfilling it our selves: but hath set in the Church à perpetual remedy, which is Remissio peccatorum, remission of sins, to help & supply that lacketh in us. Whereby as our adversaries may see that neither is any unmercifulness in God, nor blasphemy in us: so we may see in this their doctrine to be no truth.

Seventhly and lastly, forsomuch as the Council of Trident, and all our adversaries stand so much upon this argument: that the law is not impossible to be performed of us, because y ^t God hath given it unto us, who of his justice cannot command things impossible: here therefore is to be noted out of y ^e Scriptures, that they seem not sufficiently hitherto to have considered y ^e first original & entering of the law: which law, I mean the law of nature imprinted in the soul & conscience of every mortal man (for as touching y ^e law of Moses writ̄ in outward tables, which is but à renewing of the law wrought in man before, we speak not) entered first into y ^e world, not so much by y ^e voluntary purpose & will of God (speaking of the ordinary will of God revealed in y ^e scriptures) as it was procured & enforced by man him self, against God's will and warning. For when man in Paradise was in state of innocence, he was not obediently content with that felicity wherein he was, but disobediently would needs extend his hand to the tree of knowledge of good & evil: and albeit almighty God gave him sufficient warning before what danger would follow, yet he of willful presumptiō would needs taste of the fruit forbidden. Which being done, then began his eyes to be open: then did he see, then did he know, and then began he to cover. Now, if the law of nature did not first enter with this knowledge into the world, let y ^e adversaries thē selves tell me when it began to enter. If it did: then let them answer how the law frist was givē, whether by God's own free motion and mere doing, or else by man's own seeking and procurement. To conclude therefore, if man procured the law upon his own head, which when he had done, he was not able to perform, then let us not say that God gave à law to man, which man could not fulfill: but let us say, that man's onwne willfulness procured à law to himself, which afterward was not in his possibility to accomplish. But of this enough. The rest I refer to the exercised spiritual Christian to muse more upon.

Furthermore, as touching their allegation of Christ's words: Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is sweet, and my burden is light: &c. by which words they argue the commandments of God to be easy & possible to be kept: I aūswear, that these words of Christ mean not the law of Moses, but are to be understand of the receiving of Christ to be our Messias & Savior, and that we should become subjects under his kingdom, that is, to believe in him, and to be his Disciples: who in so doing shall find his yoke and our subjection under him, to be pleasant & sweet. For there shall we have remissiō of all our sins, shall overcome the devil and the world, shall be free from death, shall be eased from ceremonies, shall be raised in the resurrection to everlasting life, and in the mean time shall taste the sweet comforts of the holy Ghost in our hearts. &c.

Again, where they allege the example of Zacharias and Elizabeth, whom the Scripture commendeth, to be both just before God, & to walk in all the commandments & justifications of the Lord. &c. Luk. 1. to this I could aūswear thus: that if Zacharias and Elizabeth were both just before God, it was not because God could not, but because he would not find fault with them. But to let mine own answer go, I will set S. Jerome to aūswear hereunto, where he declareth ii. manner of perfections to be in holy Scriptures. One which is agreeable to y ^e virtues of God, & is void of all sin, & immutable. And this (saith he) is appropriate only unto God, and was here declared in Christ. The other, which agreeth to our fragility, and is not pure frō all sin, & is called perfect, not by comparison to God's justice, but so accounted in the knowledge of God, who seeth the good endeavor of the frail creature, & accepteth the same: and in y ^e same place produceth this example both of Zacharias and Elizabeth, and also of Job. The like answer also may be gathered out of S. Agustine, who speaking of the worthiness which is in just men here, saith that it may be called perfect, so far as they both truly acknowledge, and humbly confess their own imperfection going withal. &c. so that of the righteousness of Zacharias we may say as S. Paul said by the righteousness of Abraham: that if he have anything to glory, he hath to glory with men, but not with God. In whose judgment (saith David) no flesh shall be justified. &c. only the flesh of the son of God excepted, who only being just, died for the unjust, as S. Peter witnesseth. Wherupon I ground this reason.

Which is absurd to grant: so that rather this argument is to be holden a sensu contrario.

Thus then the righteousness and innocence of man being overthrown, as ye have heard, let us now repare to our matter again, and seek true innocence where it is to be found, that is, in Christ only, and in no flesh else, whether he be justified or vniustified: whether before Baptism, or after Baptism: whether by grace with nature, or by nature without grace. For neither that nature is given, nor that grace dispensed to any man living in this flesh, to be found innocent by the law, save only to him of whom it is written: Non dat illi spiritum Deus secundum mensurā. i. God giveth not to him the spirit after measure. &c. Let his innocence therefore stand alone, that he may be as he is, solus sanctus, not only exceeding us by comparison of maius and minus, but utterly confounding us for our unrighteousness, knowing what is written of us: There is none that doth good, no not one. &c. And here let also the title of the holy father called Sanctissimus, fall down for shame. Of his fullness then let us receive, not as men having somewhat, but as utterly empty of all goodness. Let us humble our selves with confession of humility, so ascribing all righteousness unto him, that we forget not what God speaketh of our righteousness by his Prophet, saying: Omnes iusticiae nostrae sicut pannus menstruatae. i. All our righteousness is like a beggarly patched piece of a defiled cloth. Such be our works, not speaking only of our works before justification, but also even they that follow after justification, if God should look upon them in judgment without Christ, are no better.

Of this innocence of Christ Jesus, the immaculate Lamb of God, I preach y ^e more effectuously, and stand the longer, because in y ^e same consisteth one of the principal effects of our redemption, joined with the effusion of his blood. For as his perfect innocence without the shedding of his blood could not serve our turn: so neither the death of his body, without his innocent life could redeem us. For so it behooved innocence to redeem iniquity, the just to die for the unjust.

Wherein appeareth the wondrous wisdom of God's almighty Majesty in working our redemption. Who seeing the generation of mankind fallen from so happy à state, wherein he was first created, into such à miserable decay and destruction both of body and soul, and all through his own willful presumption, in procuring the necessity of y ^e law upon his own head, the strength whereof he could neither accomplish nor avoid the penalty, being subject thereby to the power of death and tyranny of Satan, wrapped in ignorance, drowned in darkness, running headlong to all Idolatry & vanity, void of all regard and care of his creator, whom neither counsel could reform nor any earthly help restore, not only being past recovery, but almost past all possibility, but that nothing is impossible unto God: he (I say) of his wisdom beholding, and of his mercy pitying this misery of man, found à singular way for mā. What was that? He would not (saith Theodoretus ) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of his absolute power work our deliverance, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to use his own words. That is in English: Neither would he arm his mercy alone, to set us out of the thralldom of him, which had y ^e nature of mā in captivity. No, no, mercy alone in this case could not well serve, his justice could not bear it. And why? The cause Theodoret showeth: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : that is: lest if God's mercy had saved some & not all, y ^e enemy which had been trāsgressor also him self with all the wicked, might have quarelled, y ^t this mercy of God had not ben indifferent, but parciall to some, & not equal to all sinners: and therefore y ^e high providence of almighty God wrought another way, which was both full of mercy, & no less defensed with justice: so that by this way both his mercy is declared, his justice salued, Sathā with the wicked & reprobate justly condemned, the godly repentant though they be sinners, saved, & all this done by true justice: and yet God not parcial, & the same also merciful. And what way was this? Almighty God seeing our nature overcome by à subtle serpent, to weak to encounter with that enemy, united ii. natures in one person, his nature & ours together, and so clothing God in mā, sent forth his persō to encoūter with y ^e devil, & by pure innocence of his manhode, to recover that for mā, which mā before had lost.

Thus then cometh Christ our Lord to us, and for us to be incarnate, and was borne of à virgins his mother after à miraculous manner, at whose birth the Angels began to sing, and nature itself to be astonied. After this came the eight day, in which he was circumcised according to the law, that by fulfilling the law, he might redeem us from the bondage of the law. Not long after being pursued of Herod, he was sent out of Jewry into Egypt, where he remained while they were dead that sought his life, to answer the type of Moses, who before he should deliver the people, fled into the land of Madian frō the hands of Pharaoh, where he remained till answer came from God, that he should return again into Egypt, for they are all dead (said he) that sought thy life. &c. Exod. 4. After this being of xii. years he came to y ^e Temple, and there three days disputed with the Doctors, who then were busy no doubt, about the question of Messias: where he first began to show some little sparcle of his divinity, being occupied in the work of his father. At length growing up in years, he came to y ^e age of xxx. or much about: when God began to reuele his son more manifestly to the world in sending the holy spirit in visible similitude of à dove upon him, declaring moreover in audible voice, the same to be his well-beloved son, whom we must hear. Luke. 3.

Thus Jesus being Baptized to fulfill all righteousness, revealed by his father, replenished with the holy Ghost, and testified by John Baptist, frō thence was had immediately into the desert, as to à stage, there to try hand to hand with the devil. Where after he had fasted xl. days, & xl. nights (to fulfill the type of Moses fast, who was so long in y ^e mount with God, without meat or drink) the enemy not ignorant what was testified of him before, and yet seeing him outwardly but as à weak man, and also now to wax hungry after the infirmity of flesh, was the more bold to set upon him. And as he first threw down Adam in Paradise by eating, so thinking likewise to supplant this second Adam by eating, tempted him to turn stones to bread, and so after an unlawful manner to eat. When this would not be, he invaded him with other sundry and grievous assaults: but in the end he could not prevail. Innocence held by obedience, Obedience held by the word, Christ overcame, Man had the victory, the Devil had y ^e foil, the Angels bare witness, and the poor body of Jesus was refreshed.

Thys done & finished, Christ to declare his divine power here in earth, to the end that men might know their Messias, coming from thence abroad began to work wonderful miracles, turning water into wine, feeding with few loanes thousands of men & children in the wilderness, helping the lame, curing of cripples, cleansing the lepers, restoring y ^e blind to their sight, the deaf to their hearing, the dūme to their tongues, healing all diseases amongst y ^e people, calming the seas, ceasing y ^e winds, walking on the waters, comforting the afflicted, expelling out devils by his word, opening the graves, raising the dead, with other innumerable signs and woēnders.

All which great and passing miracles notwithstanding, the cruel Jews yet ceased not to envy and malign him, and at last brought him to the torments of death, which he with all patience sustained. Wherein cometh now the second member of my division, to entreat of the bitter pains of Christ's passion, which he for us suffered, for his own part most willingly, for their part most iniustly, for our salvation most happily, albeit for the manner of the handling, to all good hearts most lamētably. Touching the manner and handling whereof, forsomuch as it is sufficiently recorded in the history of the four Evangelists, I shall the less need to stand long in repeating those things, which to no Christian mā ought to be unknown. First how the malicious Priests and Pharisees, after they had taken counsel together, and had sent with Judas their officers and catchpoles with clubbes and staves to apprehend Jesus: he seeing them, asked whom they sought. They said, Jesus of Nazareth. Twise he asked. Twise they fell backward: and twice he suffered thē to rise. Whereby appeareth what Christ could have done in saving him self, if he would. For power in him there lacked not. Cause for him to die there was not. As his life was innocent, so was there no law to condemn him. No neither his father, saluing his justice, could lawfully enforce him. Only his own good will, and obedience to his fathers will, it was, and none other. Wherof we hear what the father him self speaketh by his Prophet, saying: If he will lay down his life for sin, he shall see a long lasting seed come after him. &c. Isaiah. 53. Again in the same Prophet we read: Oblatus est quia ipse voluit. i. He was offered, because he him self so would. &c.

Then they took and bound him, and brought him first to Annas father in law to Caiaphas: who asking him of his doctrine and of his Disciples: he answered, that he never taught in corners, but openly in the sinagoge and in the temple, and therefore willed him to ask them that heard him. Whereat one of the Bishops servants, à parasite, à caitiff, à swashbuckler, à rakehell, gave him à blow on the blessed cheek, asking if he answered the Bishop so. To whom Christ again mildly and coldly answered, saying: If I have spoken ill bear witness of the ill: but if I have spoken well, why smitest thou me? Frō Annas he was sent bound to Caiaphas, where lying witness was brought against him, that he should speak against the temple. Whereunto Christ held his peace. Then was he asked and adjured to tell thē true, whether he were Christ. To this he spake: If I answer you, neither will ye credit me, neither if I ask you, ye will answer, nor yet let me go. But this I tell you, ye shall see the son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God. &c. Upon this, after that the wretches had scorned, reviled, and beaten him about the head and face, & blindfolded him, bidding him prophecy who did smite him, they brought him then ad brachium seculare, that is, to Pilate the temporal judge, in the Guildhall. Where were •• de many accusations against him & never one true, that he was à seducer of the people, à teacher of new doctrine, and forbad tribute to be paid to Caesar, & made him self à king. Pilate then after certain questions, hearing that he was of Galilee, sent him over to Herod: who thinking to hear some news, or to see some strange miracle, was glad to have him. But when Christ would give him no answer, in derision he put him in à long white robe, and sent him again unto Pilate.

Then the Priests and Seniours of the people gathered them selves again in à great route to accuse him before Pilate. To whose accusations our blessed Savior holding his peace, gave no word to answer. Pilate marueiling at his silence, and perceiving no cause in him worthy of death, & that all this proceeded of willful malice, and also being admonished of his wife to have nothing ado with him, sought means what he might, to deliver him. And forsomuch as the manner was for the judge to give the Jews one of the prisoners toward the feast of Easter, he asked whether they would have Jesus, or Barabbas the murderer. They required Barabbas to be delivered, crying, crucifige, crucifige, upon Jesus y ^e son of y ^e living God. And whē Pilate asked thē what he should do with their king, declaring y ^t he found no cause of death in him: they said, they would no king but Caesar, and if he let Jesus go, he was not Caesar's friend. Whereupon Pilate for fear, seeing he could no other do, called for water to wash his hands, and so gave Jesus to the will of the Jews. Who then took Jesus, and when they first had scourged his blessed body, with as many stripes, ye may be sure, as y ^e law would give, which were xl. lacking one, then they took off his coat, and put upon him à scarlet paule, platting à sharp crown of thorns upon his tender head, that the blood came trickling down, and put à roede in his hand instead of à scepter. Thē began the cursed Jews again, some to smite him upon the head with à reed, some to spit upon him, some to mock & deride him, with scornful kneeling and blasphemous rebukes, jesting and scoffing at him, as y ^e Philistines did at Sampson the same day when he whelmed the whole house upon their heads, and slew them all: to fulfill the words of y ^e Prophet Isaiah, which saith: Upon whom have ye made your scorns and mocks, upon whom have ye opened your blasphemous mouths, and bleared out your tongues, you adulterous and sinful generation? Isaiah. 57.

Thus when the malicious multitude of the caitifes had takē their pleasure upon him within the Yeldhall court, the soldiers then put off his purple attiere, and araying him again with his own coat, led him through the City with his Cross on his back, toward the mount of Caluarie, till by the way his body fainting under the burdē, they pressed one Simon of Cyrene, to help him with y ^e cross up the hill: and so coming to the place of Caluarie, called Golgotha, after they had nailed him hand and foot fast to the cross, they lift him up between two thieves, one of the right hand, à blessed confessor, whose name we know not, we may call him saint thief: the other on the left hand, à blasphemous wretch:

When they had all this done, which the good counsel of the Lord had preordeined, yet the cankered Jews left him not, but still continued in their furious malice, staring at him and railing upon him with all kind of scornful and opprobrious blasphemies, nodding their heads, and bidding him, now come down from the cross and save thyself, thou that wouldest destroy the Temple of God, and in three days build it again. &c. thus spake they to fulfill the words of the Psalm, saying: All they stared upon me, and mocked me, they spake with their lips, and nodded their heads. And what spake they with their lips? He trusted (said they) in the Lord, now let him come and deliver him: let him now come and save him, if he do love him, and will have him. &c. for so spake the Princes of the Priests and Seniours of the people, saying: Others he saved, but him self he cā not save. If he be the king of Israel, let him now come down from the Cross and we will believe in him. While the Jews and the Priests thus were scorning him, in the mean time y ^e soldiers which crucified him, drew lots for his coat, because it was seamless, and could not well be divided, to fulfill y ^e rest of the Psalm that followed, saying: They parted my garments amongst them, and upon my coat they drew lots. &c.

The pains & torments which this innocent Lamb of God sustained upon the Cross were great, the rebukes and scorns which he abidde, were greater: but especially that which he suffered in spirit & soul was greatest of all, when as he not only in body decaying for weakness and bleeding, but also in soul fainting with anguish and discomfort, began to cry with à loud voice: My God, my God, why hast thou forsakē me? seeming by these words to be in such à case, as happeneth to God's childrē sometimes, thinking with thenselves that God hath utterly left and forsakē them: not that God did ever forsake his son Christ, but this was the voice of his humanity, teaching us not to think it strange, though our feeble heart do faint sometimes through despair or lack of present comfort, as happeneth many times even to the elect children of God.

After all this done, yet one thing lacked more to the fulfilling of the Scriptures & finishing of his Martyrdom, which in y ^e lxviij. Psalm was also prophesied of him in these words: They gave me galle for my meat, and whē I was dry, they gave me vinegar to drink. &c. Which here happened also. For as Christ our Savior approaching now to his death, began to languishe in body, and to call for drink, saying: Sitio, there was à vessel of vinegar not far off, wherewith they filled à sponge, and so putting it upon à reed, set it to his mouth to drink. So little curtisie did Christ our Lord find in his own country among the Jews, for all his so great miracles and benefits bestowed upon them, that in his thirst he could not obtain à cup of sweet water of them. So thirsty were they of his blood, who was so thirsty of their salvation. Which bloody cruelty of theirs cost them afterward full dear: as in the story of their destruction notoriously to all y ^e world did appear. Thus after the vinegar was offered him, and he tasted à little thereof, perceiving now all things to be finished, he said: Consummatū est: all now (said he) is finished, & so it was. For whatsoever was prefigured or prophesied in the Scriptures before of his suffering, was now accomplished. First that he should be sold to y ^e hands of his enemies. For as Joseph was sold by Judas to y ^e Egyptians: so was he to y ^e Pharisees. David was persecuted of his own children and servants: so was Christ. As David said Surgitae, eamus hinc: the same words spake Christ in y ^e garden. That he should come sitting upon an Ass poor & humble: so did he. That his friends should all forsake him: so did his Disciples. That he should be falsely accused: so was he. That he should be scourged and wounded for our iniquities: it came to pass. The slaying of y ^e Easter Lābe declared that he should die an innocent at Easter: and so did he. The roasting of the Lamb declared y ^e hot judgment of God upon him for our sins: he felt no less. Sampson was scorned & derided of his enemies: but what followed? Sampson being thus derided, overthrew the house, and did more hurt to them, and profit to his people by his death, then by all his life before: even so did Christ. In Isaiah it was prophesied of his beating about the face & chekes: so it came to pass. In the Psalms it was foreshowed of goring his hands and his feet, of telling all his bones, of nodding their heads, of their opprobrious mocks, of dividing his garment, of giving him bitter vinegar. In Zacharias it was prophesied, that the day also should be darkened until evening: and so it was. All these things being now complete, which belonged to y ^e pains of his bitter passion, and that Christ our heavenly Savior perceived now nothing to lack more to the fulfilling of our redemption, immediately upon the same, commended his spirit to his fathers hands with à mighty cry, and so letting down his head, gave up the ghost.

But before I come to this final closing up of his life, let us first hear and see, how Christ thus hanging and silent upon the Cross, beginneth his victory, to cast out the prince of this world, and what he saith unto him, though not in open speech, yet in effect of spirit, and power of his passion. For this we must understand, that y ^e drift and purpose of Christ's death was not to fight with man, nor to wrestle against flesh and blood. No, no, rather he fought for man, and prayed for thē that crucified him, saying: Father forgive them, they know not what they do. His coming and wrestling was against another sort, against them that were stronger then man, against the principates and potestates, and rulers of darkness of this world, against the spiritual subtle Serpent, the old Dragon the devil. Who when he had done and ended his utmost tyranny & violence against him: then Christ y ^e puissant Conqueror, where the devil and the world had finished, there beginneth now to work, reasoning with the devil in this effect of words:

Now art thou taken (thou foul feend) and fastened in thine own snares.

And now, lest ye should think these words of Christ above recited to be invented of me, per fictionem rhetoricam, and not confirmed rather, per Scripturam authenticam, ye shall hear what the Lord Jesus himself speaketh out of the Prophets and out of the Evangelists and his holy Apostles, and what the virtue of his passion daily speaketh in our hearts by his holy spirit. First ye read in S. John, what Christ our Savior speaking of Satan, saith: The prince of this world cometh, and in me he hath nothing. &c. meaning that Satan was coming to lay hands upon him and had no lawful cause so to do. And therefore because he without lawful cause would presume to set upon him, we read what followeth after in the same Evangelist: Now (saith the Lord) is the prince of this world judged. &c. And in another place: Now (saith Christ) is the judgment of this world, now the prince of this world shall be cast out. &c. Also in another place: Whē the son of man (saith our Savior) shall be lifted up, I will draw all things to me self. &c. And in S. Luke he saith: Whē a strong armed man watcheth his house, all is in peace which he possesseth: but when a stronger then he cometh and overcometh him, he taketh from him his munition wherein he trusted, and divideth his goods. &c. In the third of Genesis we read also, that the seed of the woman should break the Serpentes head. Furthermore, when we read the words of Moses to Pharaoh, although it be in other persons, yet therein is represented and shadowed to us the very proceeding and working of Christ our spiritual deliverer, against the spiritual Pharaoh, the great prince of this world the Devil.

And here an end of Christ's sorrowful pains. After whose death, the cruel tormentors setting à sharp spear to his side, thrust it to his tender heart, frō which eftsones streamed out blood and water, to fill up y ^e full raūsome of our redemptiō. And thus have ye the whose course of Christ's blessed passion briefly run over, with the principal partes and circumstances thereof. Wherein hath been noted to you his selling, his binding and handling, his hailing and tossing to and fro, first to Annas, then to Caiaphas, then to Pilate, frō Pilate to Herod, from Herod to Pilate again, from Pilate to the Guildhall, from the Hall to the bar, where he was falsely accused, from the bar to the post and pillar, where he was cruelly scourged, from the pillar through the City, from the City to the mount, from the mount up to the rack of the Cross, where no drop of blood was left in all his body. What torments of death were lacking? what misery could be added more then that he in his passion sustained? Here were whips and scourges, pricks & thorns, cords and ropes, buffet & blows, mocks and mowes, railing and reviling, hammer and nails, cross and gibbet, thirst & vinegar, reed and spear, with such like tortures and other pangs of his Innocent passion, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to use the words of Nazianzen: these were the instruments of our redemptiō. All these he most patiently for our sakes suffered in his blessed body. Which though they be now past in him, yet is it good for us ever to have thē still in fresh mind and memory, not only this good friday, but every day, both daily and hourly: Whereby we may learn daily to suppress this proud flesh of ours, and so to crucify with him our crooked affections. For what flesh now can well be proud, beholding our Lord and Savior so poor on y ^e cross? or who will set by the world, that seeth the world to be such an extreme enemy to the son of God our redeemer? and not only to him, but also to all his members to him belonging? Or what soul having any spark of grace, can now give him self over to sin, considering this terrible judgment and severity of God upon his own natural and only begot̄ son, for our sins, which sins otherwise could not be cleared, but by such à dear price, that is, by the heart blood of such à glorious person. But of this enough, which rather would be mused upon in your hearts, then amplified in words.

Having thus past over the pains and punishments of Christ, to proceed now to the third and last part of my text, it remaineth further to entreat next of the glorious triumph of our Savior, which consequently followed after his death. Touching which death of his, many things are singularly therein to be considered, or rather to be wondered at, which pass the course of all nature and example of all other. For to all other men so commonly it happeneth, be they never so victorious conquerors in this life, that when death cometh, it conquereth them, and maketh an end of all their triumphs. Who leave all behind thē, and carry nothing with them, but are carried them selves to nothing: but in this death of Christ all is contrary. For here death is turned to life, extreme contempt to eternal glory, poverty to riches, misery to felicity, life endeth, & yet life beginneth: death conquereth, and is conquered: that which is wont to be the end to all other, is to him à new beginning. Where other men leave the world, there beginneth he his reign and kingdom: that which casteth other men down, setteth him in his triumph. Such à glorious thing was death to him, which is so miserable to all other: and not to him alone glorious, but by him also glorious to us all: so that of one death riseth à double victory, à double triumph. He overcometh, and we overcome: he triumpheth, & we triumph: he by him self, & we by him. And though he overcometh alone, yet he overcometh not for him self alone, but for us. For in his victory consisteth our victory: in his righteousness standeth out righteousness, according to the words of S. Paul: That we might be made the righteousness of God by him. &c.

Of this glorious victory of Christ after his death, the Scripture in many places recordeth, as in the Gospel of S. Luke: So it behooved (saith he) that Christ should suffer, and afterward to enter into his glory. &c. And what glory this is, S. Paul to the Philippians showeth: where after he had first set forth the great humility of his obedience: to death, & to the death of the Cross, proceeding then further & wondering at his exaltation, saith: Wherefore God hath exalted him, and given him a name above all names, that in the name of JESUS should every knee bow, both of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that all tongues should confess, that Jesus Christ is the Lord, unto the glory of God the father. &c.

Of his kingdom also and of his power, following after his passion, thus we read in the Evangelists: Repent and amend (saith John the Baptist) for the kingdom of heaven draweth nere. &c. And in the x. of S. Matthew, & in the x. of S. Luke, where Christ speaking to his Disciples, biddeth them go forth and preach, saying: The kingdom of heaven draweth nere. &c. Again, speaking to his disciples, he telleth thē that he would not drink of that vinegrape, till he drank again with them in the kingdom of his father. &c. Math. 26. Or while the kingdom of God were come. Luk. 22. Which kingdom first began at y ^e cross.

Likewise speaking of power givē to him, that is, to his humanity, he saith: All power is givē to me in heaven & earth. &c. Again: All things be given to me of my father. &c. Again, in another place he confesseth, that the father hath givē all judgment to his son. John. 5. Also, that his father had given unto him power of all flesh. John. 17. And I will draw all things to myself. &c. John. 12. All which places are to be understand, not absolutely in respect of his divinity, but of his humanity, not as he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : but as he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God and man, or God in man, God clothed with man, ii. natures in one person united, so is this power given him. Whereby who soever now will be saved, must come to him: Who soever will come to the father must come by him who not only is the way to life, but is both the way and life. As there was no corn to be had in all the countries about Egypt, but only by the hands of Joseph, who after long affliction was so highly exalted: so is there no grace, nor life, no remission, no holy Ghost now to be looked for, but at the hands of this our crucified Joseph. He is the brazen Serpent, which only healeth y ^e Serpentes wounds. He is that holy temple, where God only is to be found and worshipped, and nowhere else. Without him there is no hearing God, no helping God, no God for us at all. He that seeketh and searcheth any naked God without this God clothed in man, wadeth as in the Occean Sea where he findeth no bottom. This I speak for causes. Some such I see, which seem to profess à certain form of Religion, sed non secundū Christū Iesum, or as S. Paul saith, non tenentes caput, that is, not holding the head. And although nothing be more intolerable to man's nature, then God in his naked, vnmensurable, and incomprehensible majesty, as Mart. Luther truly saith: yet some such there be phantastically spirited, which setting Christ à side, & walking in their mirabilibus super •• , wander in their speculative contemplations they cannot tell whether, thinking to find out à God to save thē by their own works and service, which they shall never find. So the Jew thinketh to be saved by the law of Moses the Turk by his Alcoran the Papist by his good deeds: The Monk & Feier by his works of perfection. Wherein they are all deceived. So far is it off that there is any saving God without Christ, that it is an horrible thing (to use the words of Luther ) to think of God w ^t out Christ.

Whosoever therefore hath to deal with God for his justification, salvation, remission of sins, and life everlasting, let him strain his brain no further with climbing speculations, but humbly seek & come to this incarnate God, Christ Jesus crucified, God dwelling in man, clothed with mā, Mediator between God & man, the natural son of God, & natural son of à virgins, done of our bones, & flesh of our flesh, and there begin his salvation (as Luther well teacheth) where Christ beginneth his incarnation, and fall down at the manger, & at the lap of the virgin, where this child lieth, & there behold this blessed son, given to us, borne for us, sucking, growing, conversant here in middle earth, teaching, preaching, bleeding, dying, rising again, ascending above all heavens, having full power above all things. And no doubt but this child shall bear him our, and bring him at length where he shall see face to face. In the mean season; let us anker here in this haven, where we shall find rest and safe harborow, and beware we 〈◊〉 no further nor lower, but only to this crucified person, except we go in his name, and be sure to take him with us where soever we go. If he be our king, whether then cā the subject go further then to his liege prince and sovereign? If he be our shepherd, whether can the wādering sheep seek but to his pastor? Whether should the desolate conscience fly but to his own Bishop: Who is the glory to the wife, but the husband? Where can the member look for succor, but at the head? Or what is it that we can lack, either in heaven or earth, but this our head, our husband, our Bishop, our pastor, our prince and king is able to supply? When the people of Egypt fainted for hunger, and sought for corn, yet when they had all done, at length they were all sent to Joseph to be served. In illo estis cōpleti. i. In him ye are all complete, saith S. Paul, as though he would say: there is nothing in all the world lacking to your necessities, but in him ye have it fully & perfectly. If ye would have grace, peace, mercy, quietness of conscience, forgiveness of sins, spiritual comfort, gifts of the holy Ghost, resurrection, the favor of God, reconciliation, heaven, & life everlasting, he hath it in his own hands to give you: Quia in ipso cōplacuit omnem plenitudinem inhabitare. i. For in him it hath pleased God that all fullness should dwell, faith S. Paul. And thus briefly ye have heard to what power and glory Christ our Savior is now advanced, after his death and ignominious passion.

Now of his victory & triumph à word or two. Albeit I am somewhat weary, and have made you weary also I fear with long standing: yet were it pity that such heavenly matter coming now to hand, should pass untouched. In worldly victories and great triumphs, when any famous act is done, or prowes achieved, y ^e Captain is wont to bring ante currum triumphalem, some notable spoil, or certain of his principal enemies subdued by him for à spectacle to the people. So Judith brought y ^e head of Holofernes, David brought the head and sword of Goliath into Jerusalem. Augustus brought signa parthica into the City of Rome. Sapores king of Persia brought Valerian the Emperor in à golden cage. Of diverse other famous and triumphant victories we read in stories: as of Alexander in subduing the Barbarrians, Themistocles in repelling the Persians, Emilius the Macedonians, Scipio the son of Emilius against Anniball, & the Numantians, Pompeius against the Armenians and Asians, Caesar against Pompeius, Lucullus against Mithridates, Marcellus against the Scicilians and Carthaginians, with diverse mo. But amongst all victorious stratagemes, & triumphs, never was nor never shall be any to be compared with this glorious conquest of Christ our Savior, which excedeth all triumphs that ever were, so far as the enemies whom he subdued, were exceeding in strength above all enemies that mā either did or ever could overcome. For y ^e enemies whom those valiant warriors by violence and force of soldiers oppressed, though they were able in arms, yet were they but men, and such as might be overcome by mē. But these over whom this our conquerer triumphed, were such adversaries, as conquered even the conquerors them selves, yea all conquerors that ever were: whom no flesh could withstand, no sword repress, no policy avoid. And these hath he vanquished, not by aid of any creature, but only by him self fighting alone.

Of the which adversaries, the first was y ^e spiritual great Goliath the devil, the mighty Monarch of this world: the other was death the capital enemy to all flesh & blood. Of whose most happy overthrow, partly I have touched before.

Besides these & with these cometh another great enemy, or rather greater then they, which being called in Scripture, Inimicitia, or Ira dei, God's heavy wrath or hatred, was à sore and intolerable adversary to man: whom this worthy captain likewise put to flight & slew. And how? By his Cross, that is, in being slain him self. Wherof we read in Scripture thus: Per crucem reconciliauit nos deo, interficiens inimicitias in semetipso. i. By his Cross he hath reconciled us to God, killing enmity or wrath in him self.

With this wrath, or rather before this wrath and hatred of God, cometh another strong enemy called sin, with à cruel company of deadly adversaries waiting upon him, as Hell, Damnation, desperation, destructiō, expulsion, the worm of conscience, thralldom, captivity, malediction, of which malediction, first we read in Genesis: Cursed be the earth for thy sake. With toil & great labor thou shalt feed thereof, and get thy bread with the sweat of thy face, till thou return to the earth again frō whence thou camest, for earth thou art, and to earth thou shalt. &c. Again, of this malediction we read: Deut 28. Cursed be thou in the City, cursed in the field, cursed be all that thou hast and possessest. Cursed be thou, and all thine offspring. &c. with à number of other miserable calamities, which not only we may read in that chapter pronounced against us, but daily may feel by experience working in us. Wherof ensue all these hard distresses and heaps of infinite miseries, slavery, oppression under tyrānous persecutors, plagues, murders, wars, dangers by land, dangers by water, dangers by all elements, servitude, penury, prisonmentes, casualties, ruins, adversities, injuries, fears, cares, hartbreakinges, hartburninges, cruel handlinges, painful sufferings, sighs and sorrows, losses, grievances, afflictions of body, afflictions of spirit: and who is able to recite all the effects of God's malediction laid upon man for sin? All which heaps and multitudes of woeful malediction, the death of this our Lord and sovereign hath dissolved and dispatched, triumphing by him self over them all: according to the words of S. Paul: Gal. 3. Christ to redeem us from the curse of the law, was made for us accursed, that the blessing of Abrahā might come upon the Gentiles, through Christ Jesus. &c.

Besides these triumphs & valiant conquestes of Christ our Savior above specified, remaineth another triumph, as glorious as all the rest, against à mighty, à sore & à stout enemy, of whom all our enemies toke their force. This enemy was of so great effect, & divine authority, that so long as he reigned over us, neither could we be safe for him: nor yet was it in our power by any means to avoid him from us. But before I begin to speak of this enemy, I will first here play Joseph ab Arimathea, and reuerendly take down the body of our Lord from the Cross and lay him in his sepulcher, till ye shall hear of him within these iii. days more again.

And here now having taken down the crucified body of Jesus frō the Cross, to occupy your eyes, and to delight your minds, I intend, by the grace of Christ crucified, to set up here in Paul's Cross, or rather in Christ's Cross, another Crucifix, à new Crucifix, à new Rood unto you, à Crucifix that may do all Christian hearts good to behold. This Crucifix is he that crucified all mankind, and hath brought many à man to the gallows, to the Cross, to the gibbet, and at last crucified Christ our Savior also. So severe was he, that he spared none: so strong, being armed with God's justice & judgment, that none could escape him. And now shall ye see him hanged up, and crucified himself: the meryest and most happiest sight, that ever came to man. Lift up your heads therefore (O ye faithful of y ^e Lord) with joyful thanks unto God: and as ye lamented evē now in beholding the innocent son of God wrongfully crucified, and sore tormented vpō the Cross: so now rejoice as much in beholding this new Crucifix, which before was à crucifier and à judge, but now both judged and crucified him self, to all your comforts. Ye muse peradventure and marvel what great Crucifix this should be: and no doubt à great Crucifix it is, and therefore required à great crucifier, & so he had: both great cōquerours, and both them selves crucified, howbeit not of like greatness, nor of like condition: the one our Savior, the other our condemner: the one for à few hours crucified, the other forever: the one wrongfully, the other justly put to y ^e cross: the one of his own mere will, the other of mere force & by conquest. Of the one I have preached unto you already, which is Christ Jesus crucified: Of the other S. Paul now shall tell you.

His name is the law of commandments: called otherwise 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : whereof ye shall hear what S. Paul speaketh both in the Epistle to y ^e Ephes. and also the Coloss. cap. 2. This law (saith he) of commandments, or God's handwriting that was against us in decrees, he hath made void, abolished, and hath affixed to his cross, & spoiling principates and potestates, hath made an open show of thē, triumphing over them openly in him self. Col. 2. And thus have ye upon one Cross ii. Crucifixes, ii. most excellent potentates that ever were, the son of God, and the law of God, wrestling together about man's salvation, both cast down and both slain vpō one Cross, howbeit not after like sort. First the son of God was overthrown, and took the fall, not for any weakness in him self, but was contented to take the foil for our victory. By this fall, the law of God in casting him down, was cast in his own trippe and forgot him self. For where the law saith: he that doth the commandments shall live in them, Christ kept the law and yet contrary to the law, lived not in it. Therefore as it was against all order of Justice and law, that he should be condemned, which never knew any sin: so stood it with good justice, that the law which offended in condemning the innocent, should forfeite his right to him whom he wrongfully had offended. Wherupon in conclusion it followed, that the law which before was holy, profitable, immaculate, & necessary, being now found à transgressor, must needs give place to à holier person, which never transgressed, and so rightly was taken as guilty and culpable, and fast nailed hand and foot unto the Cross: according as we read in S. Paul's words: The law condemnatory which was written against us in commandments, he cancelled, and affixed to his Cross, triumphing in him self. &c. Coloss. 2.

Where is to be understand in crucifying this law of God, not that the commandments of God are now crucified and abolished, so that they are now not to be obeyed or practiced of us anymore. S. Paul saith not, that y ^e commandments of God's law be crucified, but the handwriting that was against us in commandments to be crucified. &c. meaning thereby the curse, malediction, or cōdamnation of the law to be extinguished: so that the commandments of God though they teach what is to be done, yet they condemn not them that be in Christ Jesus: and though they bear rule in the body so long as it liveth here: yet they rule not over the conscience to condemnation. For therefore was Christ made accursed for us, to redeem us frō the curse of the law &c. Gal. 3. So that Christ, & the law in à true Christian conscience are contrary & incompatible, as the scholemen term it: or as we may say in plain English, are ii. things which cannot stand together: but either Christ must give place, and the law stand: or else the law (the condemnation of the law I mean) must end, and Christ reign in the conscience of the Christian penitent. For both these, Christ & the law, Grace & malediction, cā not govern together. But Christ y ^e son of God which once died, cā die no more, but must reign forever. Wherefore y ^e law with his strength, sting, & curse, must surceasse and have an end, so that as Christ's kingdom first beginneth upon the Cross: even so the kingdom of the law upon the same Cross, and at the same time expireth.

And here cometh in that, which in Scripture is called, Libertas Christiana, Christ̄ liberty. Of which liberty S. Paul thus writeth to y ^e Galat: Christ was made under the law, that he might redeem thē which were under the law in bondage. &c. And again: In the liberty (saith he) wherein Christ hath set you, stand fast, and come no more under the yoke of bondage. &c. By which liberty is meant, not the liberty of flesh, for us to run at large, & do what we list (as many there be now à days, which abuse Christiā liberty to carnal license) but the liberty belonging only to the inward conscience of à justified Christian, which once was in bondage of the law, not only to obey it, but also in danger of perpetual death and malediction by disobeying the same. From this danger Christ now hath utterly cleared all true penitent and trembling consciences, setting them at liberty, not from the use and exercise of the law, but from the dominion and authority judicial of the law.

And that is it, which S. Paul here speaketh and meaneth, saying: He hath dispatched the obligation or handwriting that was against us in decrees, and hath crucified it fast to the cross. &c. Wherein the phrase of S. Paul's speech would be noted. If he had but said, that Christ had plucked us out from the danger of the law: or that he had stayed y ^e sentence of judgment against us, or had repriued us frō the condemnation of the law, it had been much, & à joyful matter (no doubt) of singular comfort unto us. For what more comfort can be to à guilty person, cast by the law, then to hear the peremptory sentence of judgment against him, stayed, revoked, or turned away? And yet in this comfort, some fear remaineth withal, so long as the authority of the Judge endureth, and as the law still standeth, whom he offended.

But now mark (O ye faithful of the Lord, especially you, that labor & be laden in conscience) and expend well y ^e heavenly message of this worthy Apostle, what he speaketh of y ^e law, and how he speaketh. He saith not that y ^e sentence of judgment is stayed, & that we are pardoned, nor saith that the action is fallen, and we repriued. No, no, he goeth further, & telleth us plainly, that the law which was against us, our accuser & condemner, is slain, killed, crucified, & nailed fast both hand and foot, & so crucified, not as Christ was, to rise again the third day, neither hath the law such power to rise again as the son of God did, but remaineth slain and abolished forever, never to rise again nor to have anymore power against them that be in Christ Jesus. Whereby the case of our salvation standeth firm & substantial, without all fear of judgment and condemnation. For if there be no accusing nor condemning but by the law, then to kill the law, which killeth us, what is it else, but to discharge us from condemnation forever? He that delivereth his friend for à time out of his enemies hand, doth him à pleasure: but he that killeth the enemy, and riddeth him quite out of the way, giveth perpetual safety. So remission of sins by Christ, if it were for sometimes, and not for all times, for some sins, and not for all sins, then the law had lived still. But now the killing and crucifying of the law importeth full remission to be absolute and our safety to be perpetual. Whereby cometh now the saying of the Apostle to be true: That there is no condemnation now to thē that be in Christ Jesus, which walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. &c. And why is there no more condemnation? For the law being slain, which was the accuser, who shall now lay accusation against the elect? It is God that justifieth, and who is he then, or where is he that shall condemn? Where is he? If ye will needs know where he is, S. Paul will tell you. There he is (saith he) upon the tree, upon the Cross of Christ fast crucified. A dead man (saith our proverb) can do no hurt. Even so no trembling conscience needeth now to fear y ^e power of y ^e law, that is in Christ. Neither is there to him now any law to condemn him, as the said Apostle most comfortably teacheth us, saying: Sin shall not prevail over you. And why? Because y ^e law, which is the power of sin, is now dead to us. So that like as if à woman be discharged from her first husband being dead, and hath married another man, the first husband hath no more power over her: even so we now being espoused unto Christ our second husband, are freed utterly from our first husband the law, and as S. Paul in the same place saith, are no more under the law, that is, under the dominion & malediction of the law, but under grace, that is, under perpetual remission of sins, committed not only before our Justification, but as well also after, and during all our life long: Adding this lesson withal (as followeth in the same place) not that sinners now should sin the more therefore, because they are under grace: but that weak infirmity might be relieved, broken consciences comforted, and reap̄ting sinners holpen from desperation, to the praise of God's glory. For as God forgiveth not sinners because they should sin: so neither doth infirmity of falling diminishe the grace of Christ, where faith with repentance worketh.

These things standing so, seeing y ^t our first husband y ^e law is now deceassed (as S. Paul telleth us) let us weigh our state with y ^e Scriptures, & yoke our selves no more under subiectiō of the law, frō whom we are delivered. I speak not here with Aetius, Eunomius, or with y ^e Anomean heretics against y ^e due obedience of God's holy law (as our adversaries falsely bely us) but I speak with S. Paul against y ^e malediction & condemnatiō of the law, under whose jurisdiction all we were once contained, as the wife under y ^e law of her husband. To him first we were by nature coupled, being to us à sharp and à bitter husband, & rather à tyranne or an austere warder & scholemaster, then à husband, & could in no case be divorced from him, but only by death. And now S. Paul here bringeth us word, that he is dead to us, & we to him: By the body of Christ, that we may lawfully now mary another husband, even him that is risen again from the dead, to fructify unto God, through obedience of good life.

And thus much touching the triumph of this glorious prince. Wherein you have heard, what mighty & perilous enemies he hath subdued, and all by him self, and yet not for him self, but for us. For so much as the debt was not his but ours, which he for us did acquit. For we had forfeited to y ^e devil our soul, to death our bodies, our conscience to the law. He then taking our quarrel in hand, trode upon y ^e Serpētes head, threw down the devil, destroyed death, captived captivity, and crucified the law. So that y ^e labor was his: the victory is ours, he had the pains, we had y ^e profit, according as we read in S. John, cap. 4: Other (saith he) have labored, and you have entered into their labors. &c. Also in the same place: One (saith he) soweth the ground, and another reapeth the fruit. &c.

Now, what fruit it is that we do reap by this blessed sowing of Christ (who not only was the sower, but also the seed sown) it is shown now in the end of our text and message, in these words of the Apostle:

In which few words is briefly compact all the felicity that ever can come to mankind. For as sin was the spring original of all the miseries & mischiefs that ever happened to man before: so now righteousness likewise is y ^e original cause that bringeth life and all goodness to man. Here then is righteousness set against sin: two contraryes fighting, one to counterpease with the other: both of equal force to contrary effects. For as sin and wickedness was perfect in us, which brought death and condemnation to man: so pari 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 again that righteousness which bringeth life and eternal saluatiō, must likewise be perfect in man. Which because it cannot be found in our own actions, it must be sought in the actions of another, & imputed to us as our own, which may stand effectual. And that is it, which y ^e Apostle here saith: That we might be made the righteousness of God by him. &c. as much to say: that we might be accounted righteous before God, with that righteousness, not which is in us & is imperfect, but which is in Christ & by him is imputed to us through faith, which justifieth us before God.

Wherefore we must remember here to make à distinctiō of Iustitia, of righteousness, by y ^e Scripture, which after the doctrine of S. Paul is taken ii. manner of ways. One kind of righteousness is that which is called Iustitia Dei, or Iustitia fidei, that is, y ^e righteousness of God, or righteousness of faith, and the same also may be called Iustitia passiua. The other kind of righteousness is that, which is called Iustitia propria, or Iustitia operum, Our own righteousness, or righteousness of works. Which also in us is called Iustitia actiua. And this distinction is necessary to be marked. Or else we shall be greatly deceived, and wander blindfeld in the doctrine of salvation.

Of these two sortes of righteousness, the first, which is y ^e righteousness of faith, is it which only standeth before God and none other, & therefore is called of S. Paul, the righteousness of God, because it hath so pleased God by his promise to accept and impute this righteousness standing by faith in his son to everlasting salvation. Wherupon S. Paul to the Philippians writing of y ^e difference between these two sortes of righteousness, refuseth the righteousness of the law, that he might be found in Christ, having not his own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ, which is of faith. Phil. 3. Again, the said Apostle writing of the Jews, which sought for righteousness & found it not: and also of y ^e Gentiles, which sought not for righteousness and yet found it, showeth the reason why: Because (saith he) the one sought it as by works and the law, and came not to it: who not knowing the righteousness of God, and seeking to set up their own righteousness, did not submit thenselves to the righteousness which is of God. The other, who were the Gentiles, sought not for it, & yet obtained righteousness, that righteousness, which is of faith. &c. Rom. 9. Also in the 3. chap. of y ^e same Epistle S. Paul writing of this righteousness which riseth by faith in Christ, calleth it God's righteousness, coming not by our works, but by his promised imputation, in these words: Whom God (saith he) hath set up for a propitiation by faith in his blood, thereby to make manifest his own righteousness, in tolerating our sins. &c. Rom. 3. Again in the same chapt. his words be plain & manifest: The righteousness of God (saith he) is by faith in Jesus Christ, in all and upon all that do believe. Rom. 3. And likewise where he writeth in the first chapt. in this wise: For the righteousness of God by it is revealed from faith to faith. &c. Rom. 1.

And thus have ye heard of God's righteousness through faith, coming not by our works, but by God's grace & imputation, how S. Paul commendeth it, & how God alloweth it to iustificatiō. Now as touching y ^e other kind of righteousness which is called our righteousness, & cometh by man's working, & not only by imputatiō, ye shall hear what y ^e Scripture reporteth: All our righteousness (saith Isaiah) is like the stained cloute of a defiled womā. Isaiah. 64. When ye have done all ye can, say (saith our Savior) that ye are but unprofitable servants. Luk. 17. Likewise S. Paul, Phil. 3. speaking of the righteousness which cometh by y ^e law, & weighing the same with the other righteousness which standeth by faith in Christ, so greatly abhorreth that sort of righteousness of his own, y ^t he hath accounted, and doth still account all those things which he thought before to be excellent vantage, now to be loss, & filthy dung, that he might win Christ, and be found in him, not having his own righteousness by the law, but that righteousness which cometh of God through faith. &c. And thus ye see y ^e true righteousness which standeth before God, not to proceed of the law, but of faith: not to be ours, but God's righteousness: not to be active, but mere passive, that is, not that we be y ^e agents or doers thereof, but only receauers of it at the hands of God, according as the phrase of this our text doth rightly purport. For the Apostle saith not actively, vt nos efficeremus iusticiam Dei, that we should make or work the righteousness of God: but passively, vt efficeremur iusticia Dei, that we should be made the righteousness of God, by whom? Not by our selves, lest we should glory in our selves: but by another, that is, by him that was made sin for us, & suffered his passiō for us; to whō be glory forever. Amē.

Per Illum.

Wherefore whosoever studieth to be found righteous in God's sight, let him learn diligently by the doctrine of S. Paul, to make à separation, as far as is frō heaven & earth, between these two, that is, between the righteousness of works, and righteousness of faith, and in any wise beware he bring none other means for his justification, but only this which the Apostle here speaketh, of perillum, by him, that is, but only faith apprehending y ^e body or persō of Christ Jesus crucified.

This pronown [per illū] above all other things ought most principally to be always in our eyes, and especially in our hearts. As the eyes of the old Israelites were willed to look to the brazen Serpent for their bodily health: so have we, for our spiritual saluatiō no other object set before y ^e eyes of our faith to behold, but this [per illum] which is as the Church is wont to say: Per Christum Dominū nostrū. And therefore S. Paul concluding this matter, doth well add in the latter end this same [per illum] forasmuch as this pronowne maketh up all our religiō, & excludeth all other pronownes [ per illos or per illas ] and not only pronownes, but all other nownes also, both proper, & improper, it debarreth both Mary, James, John, Paul, & Peter to, as Peter himself looking upon this pronowne [per illum] will tell us flatly: Non est aliud nomen sub coelo, there is no other name nor noun under heavē, saith he. &c. but only this Apostolical pronowne Demonstratiue [per illum]. I call it Apostolical, because y ^e Apostles never taught no other pronown to salvation, but this. I call it Demonstratiue, because y ^t all true Apostolical preachers now likewise ought to demōstrate to the people, & to lead them by none other pronowne but only [per illū] and must take singular heed, they turn not [per] to [praeter]. They which bring in y ^e testament of S. Frances, the rule of S. Benet, the order of Dominike, or merits of any other patrons, hold not the right demonstrative [per illum] but [praeter illū] do shoot, as S. Paul saith, to à wrong mark.

Let us therefore, that be right Christians, and think to win, mark well our marcke, & look well to this crucified pronowne, this person I mean [per illum] for by him, as S. Paul saith, we are made the righteousness of God. 2. Cor. 5. By whose passion all our enemies be subdued, all gotten, all is cleared & discharged, all finished and consūmate. By y ^e blood of whose Cross all things are pacified both in heaven and in earth. Coloss. 1. By y ^e body of whose flesh, we are reconciled. Col. 1. By whose blood we have redemption, and remission of our sins. Ephes. 1. And we that once were far of, are made nere unto God. Ephes. 2. By whose stripes we are made whole. Esa. 53. By whose death, death is destroyed, and life brought to light. 2. Tim. 1. And he also destroyed, which had y ^e power of death, that is, the devil, & they delivered which lived under fear of death all their life in bondage. Heb. 2. By whose flesh is taken away the division and separation between God and us. Ephes. 2. In whose one body both Jews and Gentiles are united to one God. Ephes. 2. By whose obedience we are made just. Rom. 5. By whose righteousness we are justified to life. Ibid. By whose curse we are blessed from malediction of the law. Gal. 3. By whose poverty we are rich. 2. Cor. 8. Who is our peace. Ephes. 2. Who is our Advocate with the father, and y ^e propitiation for our sins. 1. John. 2. Who was made of God for us our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. 1. Cor. 1. Who saveth his people frō all their sins. Mat. 1. Who taketh away the sins of the world. John. 1. Who hath torn à pieces the obligation against us. Col. 2. Who justifieth the wicked by faith. Rom. 4. By whom we are at peace with God. Rom. 5. By whom we have boldness to enter with all confidence through faith in him. Ephes. 3. In whom we are made full and complete. Col. 2. Jonah was not so soon cast out of the ship into the Sea, but y ^e tempestuous winds ceased by and by, et stetit mare a feruore suo. Jonah. 1. The Paschal Lamb was no sooner slain, and his blood upon the posts, but the people even the same night were delivered out of Pharaoh's thralldom. Exod. 12.

Infinite it were to express, and joyful to behold in y ^e Scriptures all the admirable treasures and riches contained in this principal pronowne of all pronownes [perillum]: which have no end in them. But because the Sermon must have an end, wherewith I have wearied you enough, and myself more: therefore not to ouerweary you with more prolixity, I think good to cease: after I shall add a word or two to show you to whom, and by what means these excellent benefits of Christ's passion are to be applied. Wherof needful it is somewhat to be said. For as all we Christians agree in this, that Christ is our redeemer, and that he died for the sins of the world: so all we agree not in this, by what means the merits of Christ's passion are to be applied unto us.

Our adversaries, which hold with the Church of Rome, and persecute us for holding with the Gospel, say that the mean cause, or instrumental cause or condition whereby the passion of Christ is made auayleable and effectuous to us, is not only our faith in Christ, but diverse and sundry other helps they join besides: as auricular confession, contrition sufficient, & satisfaction, propiciatory sacrifice of the Mass, pardons and indulgences of the Pope the storehouse of the Church; merits and Invocation of saints, to believe the Church of Rome, and to be subject to the Bishop thereof. And these they take as necessary matters to saluatiō, which unless à mā do annex withal as time and occasion serveth, the death of Christ cannot be applied (say they) as meritorious alone to salvation. Other concurrentes also they add besides these above named, which albeit they touch not so nere the necessity of salvation, yet they help well forward, & augment the working and merits of Christ's passion, to our salvation. And these they count to be merits of supererogation, Councils, works of perfection, building of Monasteries, giving to Churches, hearing of Masses, entering to Religiō, austerity of life, keeping of vows, willful poverty, and such like.

Contrary to this doctrine, we affirm with the word of God, that as the blood of our Savior is the only material cause, and the promise of God in his word the formal cause, of our salvation: so again we say, that the same promise of God in his word, standeth free and firm, without any condition at all, as of necessity annexed to justification, save only one, which is faith in Christ. For although works of mercy and charity be also required in Scripture, yet that is not, because the doctrine of promise requireth them as conditions to the act of justifying, but because the doctrine of the law requireth them, as necessary duties to the institution of life. Of this promise being free and absolute without all other conditions, S. Paul thus plainly testifieth and teacheth: Therefore by faith (saith he) cometh the inheritance, as after grace, because the promise might be firm and sure to all the seed. &c. In which words ye see no conditions required to promise, but only faith: And why other conditions be excluded ye bear the cause also: for that the promise (saith he) might be sure, And why sure? for else if it should depend upon works & merits of men, it were always unsure and uncertain. For whoever knoweth when he hath done & deserved enough? And therefore it is, that we say, faith only Iustifieth: because the Scripture teacheth, us to be saved by promise, which promise were no promise if it stood upon conditions. A gift that standeth upon conditions, cannot be called à free gift. And if the inheritance come by the law, then it cometh not of promise. Now life everlasting, saith the Scripture, is the gift of God, and cometh not of works.

When the woman's seed was first promised to Adam, what had he deserved? God promised to Abrahā à seed wherein all nations should be blessed, of free gift, without all conditions before he came out of his country, to follow the Lord. The same Abraham had Isaac his son by Sara his wife: Also Isaac had Jacob by Rebecca, but yet both Abraham and Isaac, with their wives, were past all strength to have childrē, before God kept his promise. What deserved the tribes of Iraell, when God delivered them from the bondage of Pharaoh? In the third of Exodus, God promised to Moses to give the people à land of milk & honey: yet we read of no condition annexed to that promise, and though their deserts in the desert were very simple, yet God kept his promise. What made Jacob loved, & Esau hated? the son of the freewoman to be received, and the son of the bondwoman to be cast out? not deserving, but election: not the law of works, but the promise of God. How was the throne of David established forever, & the throne of Saul refused? not by weighing their merits, but by election of promise without conditions. Even so it hath pleased God through Christ his son to give to his little flock à kingdom, which kingdom because he hath promised only to faith, and hath no other conditions annexed, therefore we holding upon the free promise, say: that faith only justifieth us, not denying many things else to be required to the action of life: but excluding them as conditions in the act of justifying, which office of justifying goeth only with faith in Scripture, & hath none other condition, or mean annexed to it.

Now, to define what this faith is that iustifyeth, here is to be understand, that the true faith whereupon dependeth the whole condition of our justifying, must ever look to his right object, which is the body of Christ the son of God crucified. For else many kinds there be of faith: as everything that is true may be believed, but not the believing of every true thing doth justify. He that believeth there is but one God, which created all things of naught, believeth truly. And of this faith speaketh S. James: Tu credis quod vnus est Deus. &c. Iac. 2. yet this faith without the object of Christ crucified, justifieth not. Likewise he that believeth God to be just, omnipotent, merciful, & that he is true of promise, believeth well, and holdeth the truth. So he that believeth that God hath his election frō the beginning, and so persuadeth him self to be one of the same elect and predestinate, hath à good belief and is well persuaded. But yet y ^e same persuasion, unless it apprehend the right object withal, serveth not to saluatiō. The Jew though he say, that he believeth in one God maker of heaven and earth, and persuadeth him self that God hath elected the seed of Abraham, and be never so devout in his prayers, charitable in his alms, or precise in keeping the law, & believeth never so steadfastly, that God is true of promise, yet is he never the nearer to salvation for all this. No more is the Turk in doing and believing all the same. Briefly, whatsoever Religion, rule, sect, profession, persuasion, or speculation, be it never so contemplative, or whatsoever faith or belief it be, that is not joined with this object, and grounded upon this head corner stone: that faith may go with à certain truth, but goeth not with true justification.

Only the faith which to justification availeth, is that faith whose object is the body & passion of Jesus Christ crucified. Like as in y ^e act of healing, the eyes of the Israelites and the body of the brazen Serpēt went together: so in the act of Justifying these ii, faith and Christ, have à mutual relation, and must always concur, faith as the action which apprehendeth: Christ as the object which is apprehended. So that neither the passion of Christ saveth without faith, neither faith helpeth, unless it be in Christ his object.

Of this object we read in many places of the Scripture: Come to me all ye that labor and be heavy laden. &c. Who so believeth in me, I will raise him up in the last day. &c. Ye believe in God, believe also in me. He that believeth in me hath everlasting life. &c. Without me ye cā do nothing. &c. Whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life &c. He that is in me. &c. He that loveth me. &c. He that heareth me. &c. He that abideth in me. &c. He that receiveth me. &c. Except ye eat my flesh, & drink my blood. &c. That they may receive remissiō of sins through their faith in me. &c. To him all the Prophets give witness, to have remissiō of sins, whosoever believeth in his name. &c. He that believeth & is baptized. &c. He that believeth in me, shall do the works that I do, and greater then these. &c. Of such like places y ^e Scripture is full: wherein appeareth the verb of believing never to go without his pronown, nor faith without his object.

Furthermore, as this Justifying faith goeth ever with his object, so to the same faith also must be required, that it stand not only in outward profession, in words, in tongue & talk, as swimming only in the lips, nor in outward forms, in shows and gestures only, which is but à dead and idle faith, making an hypocrite before men, rather then à justified man before God: but must enter further into the inward heart: and as the sustenance of the soul, must inwardly be received & digested. For as sustenance of bread and drink, being holden only in the hand, or gased upon with the eye nourisheth not, except the same be inwardly received, and conveyed into the stomach: and yet neither again the receiving of everything susteineth man's body, except it be meat and drink, which have their condition properly to nourish: in like sort is it with faith. For as believing of every truth, or faith of every object saveth not, but that faith only which is in Christ's blood: so neither again doth the same blood of Christ profit us, except by faith it be inwardly received. And as the Sun, fountain of all light, shineth not but only to such; which have eyes to see, nor yet to thē unless they open their eyes to receive light: so the body of Christ Crucified being the material sustenance only of our souls, it followeth that the skine sustenance must be received by faith into our inward hearts, or else it is not effectual. And therefore Christ took bread, and called it by the name of his body, to be eaten and received.

Upon which premisses thus discussed, now I come to y ^e definition of Justifying faith, which by the doctrine of S. Paul is this:

And this faith, because it is the only condition which y ^e promise of God requireth in Scripture to our justification, and none other: therefore we with the Scripture say, that faith only of all actions, qualities, gifts, motions, or sciences in man, doth only justify: not excluding thereby good works frō Christian life, but only from the office of justifying: not separating faith from works, but distinguishing their ends: concluding thus, that good works be effects of Christian faith, not causes of iustificatiō. But this doctrine as it hath many adversaries, & great objections: so it requireth à more copious tractation. In the mean time briefly to show how good works be the effects of faith, ye shall hear what S. Paul saith in the matter: whereby mark I pray you the genealogy of good works. Faith (saith he) which worketh by love. &c. Galat. 5. Where ye see first how faith gendereth love: love begetteth good works: Love followeth faith, good works follow love, faith goeth before as mother to them both. And this is the right and natural genealogy of good works. Love in man commonly never beginneth unless it be provoked by some commodity: and how then shall à man heartily begin to love God, except he first see his love and benefits in Christ his son toward him? Or how shall à man work lively, except first he love heartily? And therefore in y ^e doctrine of y ^e Church of Rome, which of late hath so darkened these mercies of God in Christ, I marvel how either à man could love well, or live well.

But of this enough, and here an end: not for lack of matter, but for very werynes. I have ouerspent the time, I see, & my voice likewise, and almost me self also. In standing upon these matters I have stand so long as I am weary of standing. Wherefore I shall desire you: look for no solemn peroratiō of me. Only in stead of a repetitiō, I will conclude w ^t a little short exhortatiō, as weary as I am: praying you, as I first began, according to the words of my message: Rogamus pro Christo, I pray you for Cristes love, and not I alone, but all the ministers & messengers of Christ in all England with me, do pray you with S. Paul, & with all the Apostles of Christ, and not we only, yea God him self by all his Apostles, ministers, and messengers, we all do pray and entreat you, not as messengers of men, nor of any Bishop, no nor of the Bishop of Rome. The Bishop of Rome if he be a true Bishop, is but a messenger him self, and that only in his own Dioces where he is Bishop. In Christ's name we pray you, that you, what or where soever ye be that have ben hitherto strangers, unacquainted, or enemies unto God, now ye will draw nere, and be reconciled & be friends, not with the Bishop, whom we call Pope of Rome, who as I understand of late hath sent his proctors & messengers to reconcile you to him. Alack he is no God, nor yet good mā, his reconciliation can do us no good, and is not worth à rush. Our message is, that ye will be reconciled unto y ^e living God. And as you have long tasted of his wrath, so now begin to taste his friendship. A better friend ye cā not have. Yea, to say the truth, no other friend ye lack but him. Whō if ye have your friend, no enemy can do you hurt. If he be your enemy, no friend cā do you good. His friendship if ye desire, ye need not seek it far, it is here offered unto you for taking. But then ye must take it while it is offered. Behold now the acceptable year: yet is y ^e good time: the golden time: yet is the day of salvation: yet today lasteth, & the gate yet is open, wherein y ^e wise virgins may enter: but if it be once shut again, the foolish virgins shall never have it open anymore. Ye that be rich, remember your cosin Dives, the rich mā in hell. Who because in his life time, when he might have whole fountains of favor & refused, afterward would have had one drop of water, & coūld not. Take therefore while it is offered. Refuse not, lest ye be refused. Craue and have. Come & spare not. Be bold and fear not. For what should let you to be bold, having such à patron to make your way for you? if God's wrath do fear you, he hath killed it. If ye dread the law, he hath hanged it. If your heart condemn you, he is greater then your heart. If ye be sick, he came therefore, to play the Physician. If ye be hungry, he is the bread of life. If ye be poor, he was made poor for you, to make you rich. If God's curse lie upon you, he was made accursed for you. If ye be sinful, he was made sin for you, that you might be made the righteousness of God by him. What can we have more of him, or what can he do more for us then this, which is all? For he that hath bestowed his own son upon us, how can it be, but he will give with him Omnia, all things to us? Omnia vestra sunt. i. All things be yours, saith the Lord to us, by his Apostle.

Which being so, seeing then he hath done so much for you, remember your duties again, and say with the Psalm: Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi? Calicem salutaris accipiam. &c. i. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. Psal. 116. Dearely beloved brethren and countrymen, how dearly he hath loved you ye see: requite his love with love again. He hath called you to favor and grace: use it, abuse it not. Yesterday ye were sick and weak: this day with his blood he hath recovered you, with his wounds he hath cured you. This day I call every day, whensoever à sinner repenteth his sin and turneth to Christ. Yesterday ye were sinners: this day he hath purged you and made you righteous. Remember what ye were, and keep you as ye are, & sin no more. Yesterday thou wast à pitious Chananite, stouping and shrinking down with thy back to the ground xviii. years together. Luk. 13: this day the death of Christ hath loosed thee of thy bādes, and set thee straight, go upright now and crook down to y ^e death no more. Yesterday thou wast pitiously arrayed with y ^e seely womā which having the bloody issue xii. years, & having spent all her substance upon the Physicians, came and touched his coat and stole health from him: this day not the coat, but the blood of Christ hath cured thy bloodiness, now fall into such bloody diseases no more. Thou wast yesterday à lame creple, frō xxxviij. years, lying by the water pool, & haddest no mā to cast thee into the pool. John. 5: now is one come, not to throw thee into y ^e water, but to throw water upon thee even from his own heart: wherefor being now made whole, go thy ways & carry away thy bed, let thy long bed of laysinesse carry thee no more. With what à mighty voice cried Christ to Lazarus? So loud he cried, that the dead heard him, & came out of his grave. Lazarus was dead but iv. days. Thou hast layne stinking in thy sepulcher so many years. Now cometh one, and saith: Come out Lazarus. Come out therefore and cast away thy headcloth & winding sheet frō thee, and be no more like them that go down to the pit. Yesterday thou wast à foul leper: today thou art made clean, take heed of the like scabbe hereafter. Yesterday thy hand was dried & benumbed by an old disease called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , pinching tenacitie: now cometh one, and biddeth thee hold out thy hand, and giveth thee à plaster. A sovereign plaster for such à dry hand, is this: Dispersit, dedit pauperibus, Iustitia eius manet in saeculū seculi. i. He hath distributed and given to the poor, his righteousness remaineth forever. Psal. 111.

And here have I à suit to my Lord Major, before forgotten, but now remembered. God give it may speed, so shall his honor with all this flourishing City, I trust, speed the better. My suit is for the poor: not for one poor man or two, but for all the whole poverty in general of this City. Forsomuch as I well understand such à way to be devised by God's good providence, for the succor of all the poor inhabitants of this City, so that there shall hereafter need neither begging in the streets, nor yet in Pulpits anymore, and the same devise to lack but à little setting forward through authority: my humble petition therefore is even for his sake which was made poor for us all, that my Lord Major that now is, or that shall hereafter succeed, with y ^e sage Senators of this City, gravely perpending the case, if they shall find the same devise neither hurtful to the hospitals, nor chargefull to the City in alluring beggars, but rather à means necessary to avoid idle counterfeits, and profitable for the sustentation of the true needy, especially in this time of plague, and now in time of summer, before winter approacheth: then that they joining their consent and authority, with the approbation of their reverend Ordinary and learned Bishop of this sea, who with his grave Archdeacons do all well allow of y ^e same, will give their furtherance herein, and put that in ure, or at least in probation of time, which yet lieth in form, and tarrieth but only the happy consent of their authority. Thus much I thought by y ^e way to beg of you in this Sermō, because there should need no more begging in other Sermons hereafter. And I pray God this may be the last, if it be his will. If this City of London through diligence of good preachers be now planted in such ripe doctrine, as God be thanked it is, and hath the name thereof above all Cities and quarters of England besides, how requisite is it then, with this your forwardness of good doctrine, to be joined like readiness of good working?

Let it not be seen nor said in London, that here is great talking of the Gospel, & little walking after the Gospel. And if your preachers do rightly teach you that by faith only in Christ, you are justified, now let not the Papists then falsely outface you, that your preachers teach you no good works: neither let them upbraid your Christian knowledge, for lack of Christian conversation: but rather by good living stop their mouths, that either by your works ye may win them to glorify your father which is in heaven, or at least they may have no occasion to cavil, which would carpe your faith.

Truth is, that by faith alone (in respect of other works of the law) ye are justified, as your preachers teach. And yet the same faith being alone, she is not alone. In her office alone, in practice not alone. The Queen, though in her state and office she be alone, yet she goeth not without her maids of honor after her. The office of the eye alone is in the head to see, yet the eye is not without other members of the body, which have also their offices to them appropriate, Let everything stand in his proper charge and office: yet must everything need in some respect the society of another. The root sucketh of the ground, the body receiveth of y ^e root, the branch taketh of the body, the fruit shooteth out of the branch. These successively go together. So faith groūdeath upon Christ's passion, faith giveth y ^e sap of love, love blossometh forth in good works. In faith therefore be constant, in love fervent, in works diligent, and in doctrine keep order. Let not the effect presume before the cause, nor the daughter go before the mother. Work well, not for justification, but for love. Love not because God should love you, but because he hath loved you, and hath justified you: therefore being now justified, love him, and for his love obey him.

And thus keeping à right order, let us join as spiritual men, these spiritual matters together, & play the right ioyners, joining not as many do now à days, house to house, land to land, lordship to lordship, office to office, bag to bag, benefice to benefice, personage to vicarage, prebend to prebend, with à deanry for à vantage, living to living, another living to that, and for all that, yet never contented, so long as we live. How this deuilishe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 cometh into the heads of some Christiā ministers, I cannot but muse. These ioynings be naught. If we will be true Gospellers, we must learn another joining, à better joining then this, which is crescere de virtute in virtutem, de fide in fidē, to join works to works, faith to faith, faith to works, & good works to faith, as did Paul & James, & so to join S. Paul & S. James together. There hath been à long contention and much ado in y ^e Church, how to join & reconcile these two Apostles together. And though in preaching much have ben said & learning shown, yet when all is said, there is none cā join these two together better, then you yourselves, to whō we preach. And how is that? Join y ^e lively faith of S. Paul, with y ^e good works of S. James, and bring both these into one life: and then hast thou reconciled thē both, & so shalt thou be sure to be justified, both before God by Paul's faith, & before man by S. James works. And this is à perfect & à natural conjunction, when faith goeth with works, life with doctrine, practice with knowledge, zeal with science, expressing with professing, keeping with hearing, deeds with words, which be tanquā comites indiuidui, and in à Christian man's life would not be sundered one from the other. Faith without works, maketh but à carnal Gospeller. Works without faith make but à Pharisaical hypocrite. But then they must go in their right order together, the handmaid not before the mistress. In case of Justification, and peace of conscience, faith standeth alone which doth all.

For faith hath wings, and flieth up to heaven, and there holdeth the promise, and wrestleth with y ^e law, with God's judgment, and with the conscience of mā for everlasting life. Charity and works have no wings, but tarry below, and are occupied between neighbor and neighbor, and are as busy in earth, as faith is in heaven: so that neither be idle, but both laboring. And though they be diversely occupied in sundry functions, yet are they both dwelling, as Martha & Mary, in one house, that is, in the life of every true Christian, linked & coupled as sisters with à true Christiā copulative together. Of this conjunction copulative Christ our Savior thus speaketh: Blessed be they (saith he) which hear the word of God. Here is faith: mark now the copulative Et, and which keepeth the same. &c. Likewise S. Paul using the same copulative saith: Habens fidem, & bonam conscientiā. i. Having faith, and a good conscience. &c.

This Christian copulative I beseech you (Christiā brethren) practice now in your lives, so y ^t you abounding in faith, may abound also in good works: and as ye abound in works that be good, so ye will abstain from all that is contrary, joining with this copulative of good works, the negative also of evil works, mentioned in the Epistle of S. Paul to Titus: where he exhorteth us, that we denying or renoūcing impiety & our worldly desires, will live soberly, justly, and godly in this present life. &c. To conclude here with this exhortation of S. Paul, I beseech you with him, that you being the dear & reconciled children now of God, will shake off, and renounce your former impieties and appetites of this world. I say, not this impiety or that impiety, this sin or that sin. I say not here, as other are wont to preach unto you, to leave your usury, your oppression, your bribing, your deceitful arts, with other such like. No, no, I go further then so. This I say: leave & cast away the whole world from you: which is nothing else but à great heap, or à chaos, or à cōfusiō of all abominations packed, as in one fardel together. This world I say, cast clean away, with all his appurtenances frō you. For what have we to do that be Christians, with this damned & execrable world? Christ hath conquered it, hath redeemed you from it. The devil possessteh it, & will you possess it also with him? Hath Christ taken such pains for you, to bring you out of Egypt, & yet you will not come? To be in the world, to live in y ^e world, & to occupy y ^e world, I say not against it: neither do I mean in casting away y ^e world, that you should cast away your riches, your possessions, your offices, promotions and dignities: but that you should cast away your affections frō them. Use them, but abuse them not: have them, but as triffes, & as though ye had thē not: make of them, but make not your God of thē. Neither be you conformed (saith S. Paul ) after y ^e shape of this world, but with S. Paul be you crucified to the world, and let the world be crucified to you. Now what fantasy, what vanity, what bravery, and bribery, what proyling and tormoyling is amongst you in this world for worldly things, for gold & silver, that is, for red earth and white earth, as though Christ had never come to redeem you unto another world then this? What mean you my brethrē and countrymen of England: heaven is yours, both heaven and earth is yours: Christ hath reconciled you, his blood hath purged you, his faith doth justify you, his appearing will glorify you. God is yours, all is yours, all shall be yours. And what should move you then to pass for this world so much, which passeth away, and as you shall see I trust, shortly shall perish before your eyes. Come quickly Lord Jesus we beseech thee. The spirit of Christ Jesus our Savior, and the might of his Majesty, which was crucified for your sins, preserve you from this sinful world, and from the corruption thereof, to the day of his glorious coming. Come quickly Lord Jesus for thy glory, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be glory forever. Amen.

The Prayer in this Sermon made for the Church, and all the states thereof.

LOrd Jesus Christ, son of the living God, who wast crucified for our sins & didst rise again for our Justification, & ascending up to heaven, reignest now at the right hand of thy father, with full power & authority rulyng & disposyng all things according to thine own gracious and glorious purpose, we sinful creatures, and yet servants & members of thy Church, do prostrate our selves & our prayers before thy imperial Majesty, having no other patron nor advocate to speed our suits, or to resort unto but thee alone, besechyng thy goodness to be good to thy poor Church militāt here in this wretched earth, sometimes a rich church, a large church, an universal church, spread far & wyde through the whole compass of y ^e earth, now driven into a narrow corner of y ^e world, & hath much need of thy gracious help. First the Turk w ^t his sword, what lands, nations, and countries, what empires, kingdoms, and provinces with Cities innumerable hath he won, not from us, but from thee? Where thy name was wont to be invocated, thy word preached, thy Sacraments administered, there now reigneth barbarous Muhammad, w ^t his filthy Alcoran. The flourishing Churches in Asia, the learned Churches of Grecia, the manifold Churches in Africa which were wont to serve thee, now are gone from thee. The seven Churches of Asia, with their candlesticks (whom thou didest so well forewarn) are now removed. All the Churches where thy diligent Apostle S. Paul, thy Apostle Pete, and John, and other Apostles so laboriously trauayled, preaching & writing to plāt thy Gospel, are now gone from thy Gospel. In all the kingdom of Syria, Palestine, Arabia, Persia, in all Armenia, and the Empire of Capadocia, through the whole compass of Asia, with Egypt, and with Africa also (unless amongst the far Ethiopians some old steppes of Christianity peradventure yet do remain) either else in all Asia and Africa, thy Church hath not one foot of free land, but all is turned either to infidelity, or to captivity, whatsoever pertaineth to thee. And if Asia and Africa only were decayed, the decay were great, but yet the defection were not so universal. Now in Europa a great part also is shrunk from thy Church. All Thracia with the Empire of Constantinople, all Grecia, Epirus, Illyricum, and now of late all the kingdom almost of Hungaria, with much of Austria, with lamentable slaughter of Christian blood is wasted and all become Turks.

Only a little angle of y ^e weast partes yet remaineth in some profession of thy name. But here, alacke, cometh another mischief as great, or greater then the other. For the Turk with his sword is not so cruel, but the Bishop of Rome on the other side is more fierce and bitter against us, sturryng up his Bishops to burn us, his confederates to conspire our destructiō, setting kings against their subjects, and subjects disloyally to rebel against their princes, and all for thy name. Such dissension and hostility Satan hath set amongst us, that Turks be not more enemies to Christians, then Christians to Christians, Papists to Protestants: yea Protestants with Protestants do not agree, but fall out for trifles. So that the poor little flock of thy Church distressed on every side, hath neither rest without, nor peace within, nor place almost in the world, where to abide, but may cry now frō the earth, even as thine own reverence cried once from thy Cross: My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Amongest us English men here in England, after so great storms of persecution, & cruel murder of so many Martyrs, it hath pleased thy grace to give us these Alcion days, which yet we enjoy, and beseech thy merciful goodness still they may continue. But here also, alacke, what should we say? So many enemies we have, that envy us this rest and tranquility, and do what they can to disturb it. They which be friends and lovers of the Bishop of Rome, although they eat the fat of the land, and have the best preferrementes and offices, and live most at ease, and ail nothing: yet are they not therewith content. They grudge, they mutter and murmur, they conspire and take on against us. It fretteth them that we live by them or with them, & cannot abide that we should draw the bare breathyng of the air, when they have all the most lybertie of the land. And albeit thy singular goodness hath givē thē a Queen so calm, so patient, so merciful, more like a natural mother then a Princes, to govern over them, such as neither they nor their aunciters ever read of in the stories of this land before: yet all this will not calm them: their unquiet spirit is not yet content: they repine and rebel, & needs would have, with the Frogs of Aesope, a Ciconia, an Italian stranger, the Bishop of Rome, to play Rex over them, and care not if all the world were set a fire, so they with their Italian Lord might reign alone. So fond are we English men of strange and foreign things: so unnatural to our selves: so greedy of newfangle, novelties, never contented with any state longe to continue, be it never so good: and furthermore so cruel one to another, that we think our life not quiet, unless it be seasoned with the blood of other. For that is their hope, that is all their gapyng and looking, that is their gold̄ day, their day of Iubiley, which they thurst for so much: not to have the Lord to come in the clouds, but to have our blood, and to spill our lives.

That that is it which they would have, & long since would have had their wills upon us, had not thy gracious pity and mercy raised up to us this our merciful Queen, thy servant Elizabeth, somewhat to stay their fury. For whom as we most condignly give thee most hearty thanks, so likewise we beseech thy heavenly Majesty, that as thou hast given her unto us, & hast from so manifold dangers preserved her before she was Queen: so now in her Royal estate, she may continually be preserved, not only frō the hands, but from all malignant devises wrought, attempted, or cōceaued of enemies, both ghostly and bodily against her. In this her government be her gouerner, we beseech thee: So shall her Majesty well govern us, if first she be governed by thee. Multiplie her reign with many days, & her years with much felicity, with abundance of peace, and life ghostly. That as she hath now doubled the years of her sister, and brother: so (if it be thy pleasure) she may also ouergrow in reignyng, the reign of her father.

And because no government can long stand without good Counsel: neither can any Counsel be good except it be prospered by thee, bless therefore we beseech thee, both her Majesty and her honorable Council, that both they rightly may understand what is to be done, and she accordyngly may accomplish that they do Counsel, to thy glory, and furtherance of thy Gospel, and public wealth of this Realm.

Furthermore we beseech thee (Lord Jesus) who with the Majesty of thy generation, doest drown all Nobility, being the only son of God, heir and Lord of all things, bless the Nobility of this Realm, and of other Christian Realms, so as they Christianly agreeing among them selves, may submit their Nobility to serve thee, or else let thē feel (O Lord) what a frivolous thing is y ^t Nobility which is without thee.

Likewise to all Magistrates, such as be advanced to authority, or placed in Office, by what name or title soever, give we beseech thee, a careful conscience, uprightly to discharge their duty, that as they be public persons to serve the common wealth, so they abuse not their office to their private gain nor private revenge of their own affections, but that justice being administered without brybery, and equity balanced without cruelty or partiality, things y ^t be amiss may be reformed, vice abandoned, truth supported, innocency relieved, God's glory maintained, & the common wealth truly served.

But especially to thy spiritual Ministers, Bishops, and Pastors of thy Church grant we beseech thee (O Lord Prince of all Pastors) that they following the steppes of thee, of thy Apostles and holy Martyrs, may seek those things which be not their own, but only which be thine: not caring how many benefices, nor what great Byshoprikes they have, but how well they can guide those they have. Bene them such zeal of thy Church, as may devour them, and grant them such salt, wherewith the whole people may be seasoned, and which may never be unsavory, but quickened daily by thy holy spirit, whereby thy flock by them may be preserved.

In general give to all the people, and the whole state of this Realm such brotherly unity in knowledge of thy truth, and such obedience to their Superiors, as they neither provoke the scourge of GOD against them, nor their Princes sword to be drawn against her will, out of the scaberd of long sufferance, where it hath been long hyd. Especially give thy Gospel long continuance amongst us. And if our sins have deserved the contrary, grant us we beseech thee, with an earnest repentance of that which is past, to join a hearty purpose of amendment to come.

And for as much as the Bishop of Rome is wont on this Goodfriday, and every Goodfriday to accurse us as damned heretics, we here curse not him, but pray for him, that he with all his partakers either may be turned to a better truth, or else, we pray thee (gracious Lord) that we never agree with him in doctrine, and that he may so curse us still, and never bless us more, as he blessed us in Queen Mary's time. God of his mercy keep away that blessing from us.

Finally, in stead of the Popes blessing, give us thy blessing Lord we beseech thee, & conserve the peace of thy Church, and course of thy blessed Gospel. Help them that be needy and afflicted. Comfort them that labor and be heavy laden. And above all things continue and increase our faith. And for as much as thy poor little flock can scarce have any place or rest in this world, come Lord, we beseech thee, with thy Factum est, and make an ende, that this world may have no more time nor place here, & that thy Church may have cest forever.

For these and all other necessities requisite to be begged & prayed for, asking in Christ's name, and as he hath caught us, let us say the Lord's prayer. Our father which art in. &c.

A Postscripte to the Papists.

BEcause here remaineth behind an empty page of white paper to be supplied with some writing or other: I thought no better matter for my purpose, then to write a word or two to you, which hold so devoutly with the proceedings of Rome, craving at your hands, that for so much as the controversies between you and us are weighty, and chiefly stand upon the effect and working of Christ's passion, you will therefore give the reading hereof, either to consent to the doctrine if ye think it consonant: or to refute the same if ye mislike it. My saying and meaning is this.

[ 1] That if ye find by the Scripture of God, or any approved Doctor, that the sacrificed body of the son of God, suffering once upon the Cross on Goodfriday, is not the only material and sufficient cause of our perfect salvation, remission of sins, and justification:

[ 2] Or that the promise of God (which is to salvation) standeth not free, without any condition of work or works to be added to that effect, save only faith in that person:

[ 3] Or that faith in Christ, is not only the mean and instrument whereby this passion is made to us effectual: you will bring out your proofs, show forth your learning, and what you can say. And if you will not let the word be judge: yet let the world hear your reasons, let truth with judgment be tried, let railing, trifling, and scoffing go. Blood and persecution is no way to find truth, but to blind truth. The Scriptures in matter of salvation are plain and evident, teaching simply without trope or figure, and soon will try the cause.

[ 1] By the which Scriptures, if you shall find the contrary to be true, that is, that the passion of Christ crucified is the only material and efficient cause immediate which worketh our salvation, which appeaseth God's wrath, and pacifieth all things in heaven and in earth, taketh away the sins of the world, and disanulleth the damnation and malediction of the law forever, from all them that be in Christ Jesus:

[ 2] And that the promise of God to salvation in Christ, is free without condition of any works of the law to the same end to be annexed save only faith.

[ 3] And that the same faith in Christ is only the mean and condition, whereby the passion of Christ worketh, and the promise of God giveth to us Justification: These verities, I say, thus standing by the Scripture, seeing our Justification and remission of sins standeth consummate by Christ, free by promise, and assured by faith: then declare unto us, I beseech you, which so magnify the religion of Rome, how standeth with God's religion, your auricular confession for 〈◊〉 of sins, satisfaction for the same, works of perfection and inpererogation, Masses, Trentalls, your propitiatory sacrifice, praying of saints and to saints departed, pardons, purgatory for cleansing of sin, building & entering into monasteries for remission of sins, pilgrimages, Stations of Rome, Iubileis, straitness of orders, with an infinite number of such like. All which implementes of your Church, to what use now do they serve, or how can they stand with Scripture, but either they must derogate from Christ's passion, or else the passion of Christ must needs make them void?

For the same Christ Jesus crucified, I desire you therefore if ye see these evidences to be true, then be reconciled to the truth, and as S. Paul desireth you, Reconciliemi •• Deo. Let the religion of God stand simple, as he left it him self. Mans additions in God's matters be but phantasies. In other matters add what ye list. But in matter and cause of salvation, Christ left nothing behind him to be added anymore, either by Apostles, or Martyrs, or Bishops, or any other, but hath consumnate the perfection thereof fully by him self, leaving nothing therein imperfect. Whereunto he that addeth, blasphemeth, & doth no less then infringe the Testament of the Lord. As the presumption is great, so I exhort you in the Lord to beware, remembering the warning of S. Paul: That if any Apostle, or Angel from heaven shall preach any other Gospel besides that which is received and planted. &c. Ye know what followeth. The Lord of grace open your eyes to see, and your hearts to embrace the knowledge of his truth, to his glory, and your spiritual comfort and everlasting life in him. Amen.